Outlawed Love
by Infamously Me
Summary: 150 years after Twilight Princess. Link, a lowly kitchen boy becomes framed for the murder of the king. Zelda, future queen, decides to banish Link instead of execute him. Link becomes an outlaw and vows to one day clear his name, prove his innocence to Zelda and bring the true murderer to justice. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Unfit for a King

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. All the characters and stuff are properly of Nintendo etc.  
so don't sue.

_A/N: This story takes place about a century and a half (150 years) after Twilight Princess. So the world is pretty much the same, maybe a little more populated and slightly more developed and there may or may not be some newly discovered land. This first chapter is just to get you into the setting of the time period. I promise this whole story isn't going to be full of OC history. __This chapter is also heavily influenced by Stephen King's novel "The Eyes of the Dragon", but the rest of the story is different. I could tell you why I chose to do it this way, but it's a long story._

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**Outlawed Loved**

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"The king is dead. Long live the queen." Those eight words echoed through the streets of Hyrule Castle Town. The heralds on every street corner cried out tales of bloody murder and deception. Of course, no one really believed them, especially after they circulated a rumour about the moon crashing to the Earth. But when it came to the royal family, even if it was a lie, the townsfolk couldn't help but listen.

But on this day, the heralds were indeed correct, the king _was_ dead and a murder _had_ taken place. The only question that was left to ask was, 'who did it?' Perhaps a better storyteller would structure this tale differently, but I am terribly afraid that storyteller is not me.

Now, dearest reader, to understand this tale to its fullest, I will have to take you back to the past. To be able to understand its characters, whims and whys, I will have to tell you of King Gengo II, his trials and his family.

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_**Act 1: Unfit for a King**_

In his youth, Gengo was seen as one of the handsomest men in Hyrule. He was known for having shaggy, ash blond hair and light stubble along with his trademark icy blue eyes. During his time as a prince, the great grandson of the Twilight era Princess Zelda was a seen as a man of action. He was always out adventuring in one corner of the map or the other. Of course, this was a time when Hyrule was a much safer place and the rules of the royal family were quite lenient. He was a master swordsman and horseman, who enjoyed playing polo out in Hyrule field. Yes, Gengo had it all, when he was a prince at least.

Gengo was never meant to be king, hence why he could get away with romping around Hyrule field and diving from outrageous heights in Zora's Domain. He wasn't expected to live a life of duty. It wasn't until the abdication of his uncle, King Miclas (after an interesting scandal involving a goron) that the line of succession fell to Gengo's family.

Yes, Miclas had children. Two to be exact; Zolo and Zola, but both children had mysteriously disappeared several years prior. Miclas was so overtaken by grief he refused to have another child with his consort, despite the royal courts urging them to do so.

With his father on the throne, and an older brother in front of him, Gengo still carried on his playboy lifestyle, but the leash got tighter as more was expected from him. _His Royal Highness, Prince Gengo, Duke of Ordona. _

"Prince Gengo, go to Ordon and give a speech on their importance in supplying food to the nation and how excited you are about working closely with Ordon's citizens for years to come."

"Prince Gengo, go to Kakariko and explain to them the action plan to expand, repair and bring more residence to the village."

"Prince Gengo go act like you get along with these people for the sake of peace.'

"Prince Gengo, explain to the people of Castle Town the importance of health care and education."

"Prince Gengo, go shake hands with crowds of people you don't know and act like you're okay with it."

"Prince Gengo, come and sit for yet another portrait."

Truth be told, Gengo was never okay with any of it. He just wanted to have fun. For the most part, he could still have some fun, because he was not the king or first in line for the throne. That also changed on a dime.

Gengo's brother, Darclus, the Crown Prince of Hyrule, died from the Plumobid plague after suffering with it for over six months. The Plumobid plague was mainly known for filling the blood stream with a mysterious green fluid that consumes the blood, it gave the patient a bizarre green glow. No cure had been developed at the time. One night, Darclus fainted in the Hall of Heroes and died. This made Gengo first in line to the throne, and the new Crown Prince.

Being first in line was no better than being second. The leash was so tight that it could suffocate a snake. Public appearances were more and more current, especially when Gengo's father, the king, got older and began to struggle with his health. To put it as briefly as I can, there was a lot of baby kissing and ribbon cutting involved during Gengo's time as the Crown Prince.

By the age of 28, Gengo had been made king, after his father, King Lolus III, died of heart failure. No more hunting, no more polo, no more parties, no more late nights, no more women, no more fun. Gengo was locked away in the castle and given stacks upon stacks of work. It was no ideal life for the once most sought after man in the kingdom. No woman dared to go near a king because they knew how much baggage came with them. This would later result in another problem with King Gengo II, finding a wife and securing the line for another generation.

One could argue that Gengo didn't have time to find a woman, but it was bluntly obvious that the king was too depressed to look for one. Even the commoners could tell that their king was depressed, it was no secret, even if Gengo thought it was. Some days he was so upset with life that he wouldn't get out of bed all day and then at night he would contemplate taking his own life. He couldn't live with the strain or responsibility that came with the top job. He yearned to be free again and wished he had not taken so much for granted.

He had been flanked with work. Apparently his father was a procrastinator because as soon as Gengo stepped into his office, he saw stacks upon stacks of papers. There were tax complaints, requests for financial aid from the royal treasury and requests for troops and supplies to be sent to outside kingdoms, among other things. Then there was the scary idea of a religious war breaking out.

There had been complaints about the young colonies in the southeastern passage worshipping one goddess only, the deity known as Hylia. Some of the most religious people in Hyrule were outraged and had been harassing the settlers. Rumours flew about Hyrule being on the verge of war with one of its own colonies. To Gengo, this was all just one big headache. But somehow, Gengo managed to hold off on a war.

Therefore, Gengo spent a lot of time locked up in his private office trying to sort out matters. By the age of 30, Gengo had hints of grey in his sideburns, proof that the load was too much for one person. His once thick and shaggy hair had been cut into a short and straight hairdo, to make his thinning hair less noticeable. By 32, like many kings before him, Gengo had grown a beard.

The only thing that slightly lifted Gengo's broken down spirit was watching polo. He no longer played the sport, but every year he commissioned several teams made up of men of noble blood to take part in a tournament in Hyrule field. After an assassination attempt and Gengo's inability to take a day off, the tournament was abolished, but Gengo did not like that one bit. He realized he needed to be safe, but he also found himself chained to the castle, so he couldn't leave. That was when he came up with the idea to build not one, but two polo pitches in the castle courtyard; one with well maintained grass for his noble teams to play on, and another with dirt turf for the servants. Gengo was a mediocre king, but he didn't want 'the sport of kings' to just be for those with blue blood. The king eventually created a little tournament behind the castle walls called 'The King's Plate'. The servant teams played against each other and the noble teams played against each other and the champion of both tournaments would play each other for the plate. The noble team almost always won of course because they had more money to put into their clubs. But the servant team was usually grateful to be able to even play against noblemen. Now do not forget about polo my friend, because it will prove to be important later on in the story.

So allow me to return to Gengo's main problem of finding a decent woman to be queen. The ever aging king's choice to remain a bachelor through his 30's did not sit well with the citizens of Hyrule nor did it feel right to his government. After all, what was Hyrule without its royal family? At the time, Gengo was the only royal left from the main household, so it came was no surprise that the people of Hyrule were nervous. If something happened to their beloved king, who was going to lead the way? A distant royal cousin from a faraway land? Faraway lands that Hyrule did not necessarily trust? And knowing the current streak of royal deaths, disappearances and abdications, the people of Hyrule were readying for the worst.

Gengo, who was well into his early 40's, had now gained a substantial amount of weight and had very little hair left on his head, had been presented with many different women over the years. They came from far and wide to try for Gengo's interest, but he was never truly interested in any one of them, nor were they really interested in him, they just wanted the power. Rumours began to fly that the king was asexual. Of course, this depended on what orator you believed. The castle only appointed one true herald. All the other criers were labeled as loud gossips.

So the women came and went, like the sun rises and sets. It seemed like a daily routine. The middle aged Gengo would sit in his throne room, slumped over in his throne and watch as his advisors brought different women of all different ages in. Some days there was only one lady, other days there were dozens. Gengo just grew tired of it all and decided that he was to remain a depressed and lonely bachelor for the rest of his days.

"My lord, you must at least get to know one of the women we bring you." Gengo's advisor, Lamly urged. "It is imperative that you produce an heir and at least one spare. You don't have to marry for love my lord. You're the king for goddess sake! After you have children you can have her beheaded for all I care!"

"Oh, and what if I had _you_ beheaded Lamly? Would you care then?" Gengo sighed and looked at his nails. "I'm unmarriable, it's like a royal curse."

Lamly jumped up a bit at the aloof king's comment.

"And here we thought you'd get married too many times." Another advisor spoke up. "Considering your youthful antics, we thought you'd have a slew of illegitimate children and annulled marriages."

"Quiet down you two, do not pester the king." A seductive male voice shouted from beside Gengo's throne. "He will marry when he damn well wants to!"

"Thank you Mihari." Gengo grinned as his advisors scurried around on the freshly wax throne room floor in fear.

"No problem my lord." Mihari chuckled. "But I do, have a girl that perhaps you would like. She's from a cottage near Lake Hylia."

"You didn't kidnap her, did you Mihari?"

"Oh heavens no. But she has come a long way. You could at least agree to meet with her." Mihari licked his lips and flipped his snow white hair.

"Spare me, Mihari. You're my magician, not my matchmaker." Gengo sighed as he stood up to face the magician.

"Oh please, my lord, at least see her. She has quite an interesting effect on men. I struggled trying to keep my hands off of her." Mihari put his slim, cold hands on the king's podgy shoulders.

Gengo stared seriously at his magician. He saw Mihari's hands hidden within white gloves clamped on his shoulders as he glanced at Mihari's pasty grey skin. "You're a man?"

"AHAHAHAHA!" Mihari flipped his head back laughing and tightened his grip on Gengo's shoulders. "Oh your majesty, I must say, you are quite a jester. I'm sure she'll adore you!" Mihari snapped his head back into place and then stared at Gengo's two advisors. "Don't just stand there! Bring the girl here!"

"Yes sir!" Lamly and the other advisor nodded and ran out of the throne room to a side entrance door.

"You'll love her, I'm positive." Mihari smiled as his eyes dulled.

Now I imagine, you as the reader might have all ready figured out who Mihari is. But you may wonder why he's present? How did he arrive in Hyrule in this era? What did he want? Why was he hanging around the king as a _magician_? Well, that will be revealed soon enough. Where you and I see a sad man in King Gengo, Mihari saw an opportunity. And I apologize for not mentioning him sooner, but one day he just sort of showed up at the castle and said he was a magician, so it would be difficult to integrate such a story without going off the beaten path.

Eventually the advisors entered with the girl Mihari had mentioned. By this time Gengo had sat back down and Mihari assumed his position on the left side of Gengo's throne.

"Bow down and state your name to your undoubted king!" Lamly shouted at the girl.

The girl, who had very long, dirty blonde hair, was obviously crying, the teardrops on her dress made it clear. She did bow, but didn't dare to look up the steps towards the throne where the king sat. "M-my name is D-Deidre."

Gengo sighed and he looked down at the pitiful girl and decided to humour Mihari, since he had been so insistent that he meet with this girl. "How old are you?"

"T-thirty two." The girl whimpered, still not looking up. The girl was in fact, not a girl at all. She just looked incredibly youthful for her age.

"Why are you crying?" Gengo rolled his eyes towards Mihari, who just stood with his arms crossed and grinned.

"I-I was taken from my home." The Deidre swallowed hard.

"That's so sad." Gengo raised a merciful eyebrow and looked at Mihari again, who was trying not to laugh.

Deidre was still looking at the floor, Lamly scoffed and nudged at her. "You should look at your king when you talk to him."

When she did look up, Gengo saw nervous but beautiful deep blue eyes looking up at him. I will tell you right now that at that very moment, Gengo knew that this was the woman who would be queen. Mihari knew it too. He smirked as the once unlovable king came down from his throne and took pity on the woman.

"Come, you can stay in the castle tonight and we shall sort this out in the morning." Gengo patted Deidre on the back. "What did you say your name was again?"

"D-Deidre, your majesty." Deidre, along with everyone except Mihari gave Gengo a shocked look. The king came down from his throne to comfort a commoner, and he was so easily persuaded to do so. And that wasn't all, that commoner was going to be staying in the castle, it was truly unheard of.

Gengo made a mental note to give Mihari a piece of his mind, but soon forgot it. That night would not be the last one Deidre spent in the castle. After learning of her modest cottage being burnt by moblins, Gengo made it clear that he wanted Deidre to stay, and even gave her permanent residence in the castle. This information was undisclosed from the public though. It was clear that they wouldn't take nice to paying tax dollars out the nose so the king's friends could live in the castle with him.

Over the course of a few months, Gengo just about worshipped Deidre, and she adored him as well. Despite the age difference, it was a relationship that worked.

This pleased the king's government and advisors greatly. The king had never taken such an interest in a woman before, and the fact that he had climbed out his depression as soon as Deidre arrived was an added bonus. The government, advisors and castle staff knew it was only a matter of time before wedding bells rang.

And they were proven right, a year after her arrival, Deidre had married into the royal family and become the queen. The people of Hyrule rejoiced. They were all mad about Queen Deidre. She was loved and admired for her kindness, diplomacy, intelligence and integrity. She was also credited with helping Gengo make tough decisions, and lowering taxes. Yes, Queen Deidre was a beloved member of the royal family.

It seemed the only individual that disliked Deidre was... Mihari, the one who originally brought Gengo and Deidre together, and made them fall in love. Yes, Mihari had a hand in making the king and his queen fall in love; he wasn't a magician for nothing. He made them fall in love, but the feelings they had for each other were very real. Magic cannot turn something out of nothing, the possibility had to be there, and it was.

You're probably now wondering why Mihari suddenly disliked Deidre even after he handpicked her for the king. Well, before Deidre, Mihari held a lot of power over Gengo, and have a strong influence on him and his decisions. Deidre -who hated Mihari for kidnapping her- took this influential power away from Mihari. It was almost like, he wasn't needed anymore. He did not think Deidre could hold so much power over Gengo, but she did. That was when Mihari decided at one point or another, Deidre would have to go. She was more troublesome than he thought she would be, and he knew that she would ultimately come in the way of his plans.

But for some time, Gengo and Deidre were happy. Gengo had shaved his beard and even lost weight, but not too much. The only thing that could make the couple happier would be an heir. And that was something that would come sooner than expected.

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**Please review and tell me what you think. I really want to make sure the reader understands the nature of the events leading up to the actual story and the type of world Zelda is born into. Zelda and Link will make their first appearances in the next chapter, I promise.**


	2. The Once and Future Queen

**Act 2:**_** The Once and Future Queen **_

"It was like Hyrule was in labour with me." That was Deidre's very first comment after the birth of her and Gengo's first child, a girl. Hyrule was still using the male preference when it came to the throne, so if the princess had a younger brother, even if she was much older, the brother would be king. There had been a lot of debate about this law over the years, a lot of people said that some of the best monarchs were women, which was true.

So what did the king and queen name their princess? Well, Gengo insisted on the royal tradition and that she be named Zelda, like many princesses before her. Deidre actually hated the name at first, and suggested they try something like Odette or Odile, but she warmed to the name as time went by. So, Zelda it was. Zelda, Crown Princess of Hyrule.

People from across the known world came to Castle Town to welcome the future queen. The heralds shouted out in glee about new developments concerning the new baby. Town gossips whispered, giggled and smiled about the newest edition to the family. When the king, queen and princess emerged on the castle balcony, the screams and shouts could be heard for miles. Finally, after years of waiting, the line had been secured. And it was all thanks to the king's magician.

With the kingdom celebrating the birth of the heir, Mihari began to click his plain into place. As the people below worshipped the royal family, Mihari hid behind the curtain and scowled. In his mind, Deidre had served her purpose, he couldn't stand the woman and he didn't care if she supplied another heir, Mihari only wanted the royal couple to have one child anyway. It was much more sufficient to his plan. The fact that the child was female and was named Zelda was even more perfect.

What was Mihari's plan you ask? Well, to kill the queen of course, and a year after the birth of Zelda, Queen Deidre was walking down the stairs in the west tower when she ran into Mihari. Mihari of course, saw this as a prime opportunity. As he passed the queen on the stairs of the west tower he turned around and grinned.

"Your majesty, it appears that you have something on the back of your dress. Allow me." Mihari bowed.

"Oh, thank you Mihari?" Deidre gave the magician a disgusted glance as he eyed up her backside.

_Let's take that scowl off your face. _Mihari smiled evilly as he placed his right hand firmly on Deidre's back. He let it rest there for a moment, knowing how much this would bother her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she finally snapped. But before she could turn around and slap him, Mihari gently pushed on the queen's back, causing her to lose her balance and fall down the stairs.

He watched the queen hit every single stone step on the spiral staircase until she was out of sight. It was like watching a ragdoll rolling down the stairs instead of a person. He then heard a loud 'bang', and knew she had hit the bottom.

Like a child on Christmas morning, Mihari giggled and jumped up in excitement and rushed down the stairs to see what he had done to the beloved queen. When he reached the bottom, there she was lying face down in a slump. Mihari knew she was dead just by looking at her. And at this knowledge he grinned and laughed a bit. "Oh, help, help. Somebody help." He said sarcastically, not nearly loud enough for anyone to hear. He then messed up his snow white hair and practiced making a shocked and afraid face before opening the wooden door in front of the corpse and running down the halls shouting about the queen's fall.

"Help! Help! Her majesty has taken an awful fall!" he cried out as he sprinted down the long and winding castle hallways. "I-in the tower! The west tower! Oh someone please help!"

When a group of servants arrived at the scene, they only confirmed what Mihari already knew. Queen Deidre was dead. The servants cried and cried over their deceased queen. Mihari stood in the doorway with an evil smirk on his face.

The servants did wonder if Mihari had something to do with it, even though he insisted that he discovered the dead queen. It was odd that he just _happened_ to be going to the west tower, even though he never went there on any normal day. None of the servants were brave enough to question the magician, because quite frankly, they were afraid of him. In all honestly, they were afraid to end up like their queen.

Mourning over the queen's death lasted for a year and a day. And no one mourned her loss more than her husband, the king. From the day she died up until his own death, the king mourned her demise. Gengo fell back into his depression, grew a long and grey beard and regained all of his lost weight, if not more. It did not help that doctors had found out the queen was pregnant at the time of her death, with a baby boy. Gengo would name is unborn son, Darius.

King Gengo would go on to have portraits painted of his son throughout the years. Of course, these were all just fantasy, for the prince was just a fetus when he died. Yet his father had paintings of him as a handsome, grown man slaying dragons and riding on horseback into the sunset. It was a disturbing obsession.

Gengo then buried himself in his duties. This of course meant that he neglected his daughter, his only living child, the only heir to the throne, Zelda. And goddess knows that if anyone needed guidance from the king, it would be the first in line to the throne. That was the problem that plagued Gengo, no one showed him how to do his job, and it was expected that he knew what to do. Zelda was more fortunate in at least she was born into the role and would grow into it, instead of being forced into it.

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There was a mysterious spike in birth rates in Hyrule shortly after Zelda's birth. Usually it was just some doting parents wanting their child to be friends with the princess or for a son of theirs to eventually marry her. It was not something Hyrule hadn't seen before. In fact with almost every royal birth, there was a sudden rise in pregnancies and births.

One of these many births would bring us our leading man for this story, Link. Link was not conceived to be a suitor for the princess, no, not even a fair weathered friend. He was conceived to work for her. That's right, Link's family were nothing but mere servants for the royals. A father who worked in the gardens and a mother who was a chambermaid, they made honest money, but all the same, they were servants. They lived in the servant quarters under the castle with many other individuals in that line of work.

Though I cannot tell you much else about Link's parents and family, because this is really all that was known about them. Link was only 3 when they disappeared. Names were never of importance among slaves and servants, they were assigned numbers and that was all. They worked for the royals, and then one day, they disappeared. Just like the royals that I mentioned earlier, they went missing as well. They were not the first servants to go missing either, and they certainly weren't the last. But they were not missed in the slightest. For every one servant that left, there was another five coming off the wagon to take their place.

As you can already tell there isn't much to Link's world. He was born a servant, he would live as a servant, and he would probably die a servant. Of course, that's not exactly how his life would run its course because he is the leading man of an adventure story.

Link was raised in the servants' quarters in the basement of the castle. The servants' quarters were separated into three sectors; Din House, Naryu House and Farore House. This was more so for organizational purposes. Depending on your house, that was where your bed was. To make it run smoother and even out how many servants were in each sector, the new servants were sorted into houses that could take more members and had more open space at the time. Link was in Farore house.

When Link was around 10 years old he was assigned a number, and a job. Link's number was 307 and he was assigned to the kitchen staff as a kitchen boy. Basically, he cleaned plates, helped clear the royal table and did dishes. It was through this job that Link first set eyes on what was supposed to be the royal family.

He ran in to clear the table and prepare for the next course and that when he saw them. It was a fat old bald man with a long grey beard sitting at the end of a long rectangular table and a young girl with medium length ash blonde hair sitting at the opposite end. Link knew the girl couldn't have been any older than him; her legs hung over the chair and barely touched the floor.

Link came out wearing his bagging green long sleeved shirt, black pants, brown boots and a dirty white apron. He also carried a grey bucket to put dishes in. He and other kitchen boys ran to either end of the table and tried to clean up a quickly and quietly as possible without disturbing the royals.

The boys were supervised by one of the grown up kitchen staff, who stood at the kitchen door patiently while the boys cleaned up. It was this man's duty to shout at the boys later if he saw they did something wrong or to reason with a royal or a guest if the boys upset them. And on this day, the boys were supervised by one of the strictest supervisors the kitchen had, Mr. Langoo.

As Link approached Zelda's end he got quite nervous, he'd never been this close to royalty before. But all the same, he tried to pick up the dirty dishes, one of which had some scraps of meat and vegetables left on it. The princess clearly wasn't a big eater, unlike her father who consumed everything on this plate like he hadn't eaten in a month.

Link lifted the plate and shook nervously. He could sense the princess staring at him. The fork and knife on the plate chattered and clicked violently. Mr. Langoo fixated his gaze on the young boy.

Zelda tilted her head to the side and smiled sweetly at Link. "You do know that I'm just like any other kid, right? You don't have to be so jumpy."

At this comment Link jumped up a bit and dropped the plate on the floor. It shattered into several pieces, and the scrap food went flying across the cold stone floor.

"Oh no!" Link gasped. He could feel Mr. Langoo footsteps shaking the floor behind him.

Zelda just giggled, she found the boy quite amusing and intriguing. There was something about him that drew her to him. "It's okay. We'll just get new plates."

The king at the other end of the table who was getting pieces of corn wiped out of his beard by another kitchen boy, watched diligently as his daughter interacted with the servant boy. He watched her mannerism and how she controlled herself in such an embarrassing situation. _Incredible. If that was me, I would have had the boy thrown into the dungeon._

"My apologies, your highness, _and _your majesty. It is 307's first day on the job, he's just a little nervous. Aren't you, 307?" Mr. Langoo squeezed Link's shoulder and forced a smile.

"Uhm.. uh.. yes." Link looked down at the smashed plate on the floor.

"Now be a good boy and go and get the broom and dustpan and clean this mess up. We don't want the princess walking through filth."

"It's okay. I understand." Zelda smiled again as Mr. Langoo walked back into his corner and Link scurried back into the kitchen to get a broom.

Gengo was ready to blast the kitchen boy for dropping the plate, but his daughter's innocent acceptance made him change his mind.

When Link emerged from the kitchen again he was holding a small broom and a beat up dustpan. He hurried back to the princess's side and tried to sweep up the mess. If anything, he was more nervous this time because he had to face the royals again after an embarrassing incident.

He kneeled down beside the princess's chair and quickly tried to clean up the mess without making eye contact. It was difficult for him to carry out his job when Zelda was just staring at him. He was shocked when she spoke to him again.

"Thank you for cleaning that up." She smiled down at him and watched Link's messy, dark blond hair bounce around on his head. He didn't dare to look up and meet her eye.

"Uhm... y-you're quite welcome your highness." Link cleared his throat and blushed at the embarrassing attention the princess was giving him.

"What's your name?" Zelda asked abruptly.

Link froze, he was told to never give his name to royalty because it was 'unimportant'. "Uhm... 307."

"No, not your number. I know you have a name. What is it?"

"Zelda, that's enough!" Gengo's voice boomed from the other end of the table. "What did I say about talking to the servants?"

"You didn't say anything about that daddy." Zelda shook her head. "To be honest this is the first time we've dined together in over a year. I barely see you so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I don't know your rules."

Gengo sat up straight in his chair, now surprised that his own daughter had stated a very true fact. It was also surprising that she was so well articulated at such a young age. It was clear that her tutors had been doing their job.

It was true that the king and his daughter didn't see much of each other. Their rooms were in separate wings of the castle. Gengo often dined in his room or his office, Zelda usually ate in the dining room. Zelda didn't like being alone so she often invited her tutors to join her for dinner before they went home. If the tutors didn't come in that day or rejected the invitation, Zelda would ask one of her maids or one of the castle guards. Who could say no to a cute little girl who was also the future queen?

"Well, I am telling you now my dear. Do not speak to the help unless you have to!" Gengo ordered.

"I will do whatever I please." Zelda frowned. "Besides, this is the first time you've ever taken an interest in what I do."

"Oh, don't give me that!"

"No, father, I am going to. You're never around when I need you!"

"I'm sorry. I'm busy keeping this kingdom in order so when you ascend the throne, things will be easier for you!"

"Who says I even want ascend the throne?"

"Your birthright, that's who!"

"Well, what if I abdicate my position?"

"You can't, there's no one to pass the crown off to!" Gengo was fuming in anger. Instead of a 10 year old, Zelda was acting like a 16 year old. Perhaps her tutors were educating her a little too well. "Oh, if your brother was alive..."

"Darius is dead! I realize you wanted a son instead of a daughter, but you're just going to have to deal with it!" Zelda barked back. "I may be female, but I promise my reign will be that of a king's!"

"Not with an attitude like that!" Gengo shouted as he stood up.

Link awkwardly swept the remaining scraps and broken porcelain into the dustpan. He could feel Langoo almost breathing down his neck, wanting him to get out of there. He quickly bowed and ran for the kitchen. The last thing he wanted to witness was the rumoured rift between the king and the princess getting wider and wider by the second.

When Link arrived in the kitchen with Langoo, there was a deafening silence among the kitchen staff. They all stared at each other as a shouting match that was muffled through the wall ensued in the dining room between a father and his daughter.

"What are you all looking at? Get back to work!" Mr. Langoo ordered and then turned his attention to Link. "**Never **do that again!"

Link wasn't sure what Langoo was referring to; speaking to the princess, dropping the plate or causing a quarrel between a father and his daughter. Pick your poison my dear reader, because it's anyone's guess as to which one Langoo was actually speaking of.

For the next seven years, Link did his duties as part of the kitchen staff. He eventually became a server for the royals and a supervisor for the younger boys. And every night for those seven years the princess would stare at him intently. And every night she asked him his name. Even on the nights when she wasn't dining alone (though and most nights she was) she still held interest in the boy from the kitchen, 307.

* * *

As Link and Zelda grew older they took on more interests. Link, who had natural horsemanship skills, was asked to join the polo team for his servant house. He accepted with some hesitation. Farore House had never won the King's Plate before, nor had they ever been the champions of the servant tournament. Usually Din House and Nayru House battled it out to be the servant champions. Servants in general had never won the King's Plate. The nobles usually squashed them. So when Link was not working, he was practicing or playing polo in the courtyard.

Zelda also had new interests along with some new duties. One of these interests was watching the servants play polo, since the servant pitch was outside of her bedroom window. So imagine her surprise when she saw the boy from the kitchen on horseback smashing the ball up the dirt field. She still couldn't define her interest in the kitchen boy. Maybe it was the fact that he would not tell her his name? Maybe it was that he had grown handsome in the last seven years? Maybe it was that Triforce mark he had on his left hand that looked exactly like the one she had? Whatever it was, Zelda was drawn to the kitchen boy and wanted to know more about him.

One of Zelda's new duties was finding a man who was husband material. This was something Zelda often rolled her eyes at, because in her mind, 17 was too young to get married and she wasn't really interested in courting all that much. Her father had her meeting with suitors every two weeks it seemed. She didn't like any of them, even as friends. They were all snobby noble boys who just wanted her for her beauty and status. She realized her father's intentions were good and that he just didn't want her to end up like him, but finding the right man to marry was going to be her own problem. She didn't want to marry because she had to as part of her duty. She wanted to marry for love and because she wanted to.

* * *

One night when the princess was dining alone, Link brought in her bowl of soup. Zelda stared at him more intently than she ever had before. "Would you care to join me?"

Link had heard about the princess asking staff to dine with her when she was alone, be he had never been invited himself. "No thank you, your highness." Link bowed and turned around.

"I still would like to know your name, kitchen boy. For seven years you've catered to me. I don't feel comfortable calling you 307." Zelda called after him. "Please, at least have a seat."

"No thank you, your highness. I am on duty." Link shook his head, still not turning to face Zelda.

"Well, I order you to have a break." Zelda sighed trying to find a topic to create a conversation. "Does the kitchen boy play polo?"

"Yes, your highness I do." Link stood taller, shocked that the princess knew about his favourite pastime.

"You know, they say my grandfather helped invent polo. I don't believe it though, just another royal trying to take credit for something. They say it was invented by the now extinct Gerudo tribe." Zelda didn't look up from her soup. "Can I expect to see you at the tournament tomorrow?"

Royals and nobles alike have never watched the servant tournament before. That fact was odd to Link. He assumed she meant to say that he would hopefully be in the finals. "Your highness, yes, I will be playing but I don't know if you'll see us in the finals against the winning noble team."

"Oh I don't care about that. I just wanted to know if you would be playing in the servant tournament. I find the servant games much more entertaining."

"You're going to watch the servant matches?" Link turned around and looked at the princess he had come to barely know. "Doesn't your father, the king want you to watch the noblemen games?"

"Well, yes, he does. But he probably just wants me to watch them so I can meet with the suitors he's picked out for me." Zelda rolled her eyes. "I don't want to be wooed. I just want to enjoy the day in peace. I know none of my servants would pull anything on me, so I'd prefer to watch them. Besides, all the nobles that show up are just a bunch of boring stuffed shirts who spend money they don't have and tell the same dry jokes over and over again."

"Sounds like you're trapped." Link cleared his throat and gave the young royal a sentimental look.

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it. I'm sick and tired of every man I meet wanting to make a move on me because they want my power! I can't leave the castle grounds! I have no idea what it's like outside of these stone walls. I can only see a bit of Castle Town from the tower and that's it. I don't have any real friends. I don't even want to be queen." Zelda took a breath from her rant and continued on. "I mean, if my father is trying to groom me for the role, why isn't he teaching me anything? I think a good ruler would have an ability to relate to their people. I can't even look at my people because I'm locked up here all the time."

Link wasn't sure how he should feel about having someone as powerful and prestigious as the Crown Princess of Hyrule pouring their soul out to him. Link was just a lowly servant boy, and here he was, having the girl who would be queen venting to him about her life and he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was that Link was the only 'friend' Zelda had. Link actually felt sorry for her. She was a prisoner of the firm that she was born into, sort of like him... but his case wasn't as extreme.

"So..." Zelda sighed and stirred her soup. "What's your story kitchen boy?"

"Eh?" Link was speechless. This whole moment went against everything he had been taught. But the princess had engaged him in conversation. It would have been rude to ignore her. He couldn't believe that Princess Zelda was actually asking about his life, as if she was interested.

"Well, kitchen boy? What about yourself? You're a servant, so you're just as trapped in this castle as I am." Zelda smiled to herself in irony. "Do you have any family, kitchen boy?"

"I'm allowed to leave the grounds once a week." Link stated before he went on. "Family? Well, I did... but..."

"But what?"

"They went missing when I was very small."

Zelda sat back in her wooden chair and stared at the wall. "There have been a lot of disappearances, my kitchen boy."

_My kitchen boy? What does she mean by _my _kitchen boy?_ Link questioned himself for a moment. "Your highness?"

"I get bored you see. So I look into these things. Mihari doesn't like me meddling around with these kinds of things. It really makes me wonder if he has something to do with it and doesn't want me finding out. When I'm queen, he'll be one of the first things to go!"

Mihari, the pale grey face of the king's mysterious magician flashed in Link's mind. The servants spoke of their dislike of the man often in the safety of the servants' quarters. They particularly didn't like how he just seemed to pop up out of nowhere, breath down their necks and threaten them. He gave everyone the creeps, and it appeared that the princess wasn't a fan of the magician either.

"Well, since I have disclosed so much about my life to you. Could you at least tell me your name, kitchen boy?" Zelda shifted to the side of her her chair and extended a hand to Link.

Link stared down at her nimble fair skinned hand for a moment and looked down at his own. His hands were covered in calluses from manual labour and full of splinters from cheap polo mallets.

"Well, kitchen boy? It's rude to decline a royal handshake." Zelda smiled sweetly as Link raised his right hand and gripped hers.

"Link." He muttered.

"What was that?"

"My name. My name is Link."

"And I'm Zelda." Zelda gave him a thoughtful stare as she took back her hand. "Hm... Link. It's different. I like it!"

And so, a friendship that took seven years to form was finally completed. A friendship between a princess and the man she came to know as her kitchen boy. Little did they know, there was one other witness to this event, and his dark shadow loomed outside of the door. Mihari smiled knowing that he could carry out his plan with even more ease and evil than before.


	3. Magicians and Their Secrets

**Act 3:**_** Magicians and Their Secrets**_

Mihari immediately got into King Gengo's ear when he saw the princess befriending a servant. The king, of course, wasn't pleased by the revelation. Thinking that his daughter was hanging around the wrong sort, he wanted Zelda to be barred from the servants. Mihari suggested something else.

"Why don't you invite the boy to bring you your meals for a while, then you can make a real evaluation of him. He's the only servant I've seen your daughter around, and I think she's _interested_ in him." Mihari's seductive voice chuckled at the king's despair. "You know, _interested_, like how you want her to be _interested _in young Lord Tobias, Lord Quinn, Prince Heri, Prince Kayo, Duke Sala or Count Yan, among many others."

Gengo gripped the arm of his chair at thought of his daughter being romantically linked to a pauper. No, lower than a pauper, a servant boy. Over a lord or a duke from a far off land, she would choose the scum from the bowels of the castle? The thought was giving him a headache. "I want him hung from the gallows! No servant is going to even get the chance to think about making a pass at the Crown Princess, my daughter!"

Mihari covered his mouth, trying to hide his evil smile. He found the king's sudden outrage and overreaction to be quite humourous. "Your majesty, do you not think that is a little... harsh? At least give the boy the benefit of the doubt, try to see what's going on in that head of his, hm?"

"Why are you trying to push this interaction, Mihari?" Gengo looked up from his fireplace to see his magician standing loyally at the side of the chair.

"Well, your majesty. The people of Castle Town do not like seeing their tax dollars being wasted on senseless executions, especially if it's nothing more than one of the king's personal vendettas." Mihari flipped his hair. "It will make people furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!"

"Yeah, well not as much as I am!" Gengo growled. "The nerve of my daughter! I bring her perfectly good men to consider for marriage, and here she is going behind my back and flirting with... with... the help!"

Gengo's face was red with rage, as if he had consumed too much whiskey. His age had not eased his temper, if anything he was even quicker to anger than he was when he was middle aged. It wasn't out of character for the king to have these sorts of sudden tantrums, they became more frequent when he had a lot of stress, and Mihari knew this.

"Ah, but your majesty. I insist that you meet with the boy. I wasn't wrong about Deidre all those years ago, and she sure was not some princess or lady from a faraway land. Perhaps you are just doing the same thing to your daughter that the firm did to you? You were also presented with a bunch of blue bloods and none of them interested you. You too fell in love with a diamond in the rough." Mihari bowed humbly and placed cold hand on his master's shoulder. "I'm sure something can be arranged, hm?"

The old king stroked his beard thoughtfully before speaking. "I suppose you are right, Mihari. You're rarely wrong. I don't know where I'd be without you. Please, arrange something."

"But of course, anything for the sovereign." Mihari smirked and licked his lips as he turned around and left the old man to his own devices.

* * *

The very next morning, Link woke up early and got ready to suit up for the tournament. Link's three teammates; Algar, Nale and Finn all shared stories of their mornings in the servant mess hall, even though they slept in the same quarters and were around each other all the time.

The mess hall was also in the castle basement, it was a large cafeteria like facility with picnic tables as far as the eye could see. The sleeping quarters for all three servant houses branched into the hall. There were several staircases that lead to the first floor of the castle, but they were guarded by knights to stop any unruly servants from trying to sneak upstairs when it wasn't their shift.

Algar, was in his late 20's, making him the eldest member on the Farore House team. He was a tall man, but not so tall that one would comment on his height. He was also quite thin, but he held a lot of strength in his arms. He had short ginger hair, pale skin and dark green eyes. His face was covered in freckles, so much so that some feared that he had caught some sort of strange disease. He was the number three polo position, a position often given to a powerful hitter and one of most experienced players on the team.

Nale was roughly 23 years old; this made him the second eldest teammate. He was fairly short and skinny, but had the vengeful temper of a Bulblin who had just been knocked off of his Bullbo. He was also accomplished in cussing and spitting. Nale had cold blue eyes and long crow black hair that he tied in a loose ponytail. Nale was number one, a position given to disciplined players who have fairly good accuracy.

Finn was 20, making him the third eldest team member. He was about as tall and as lean as Link was. He was a polite and quiet man who liked to read old religious texts. Why he did this really was anyone's guess. He worked in the royal gardens. Finn had a purple pompadour and strange yet lonely red eyes. Finn played number four, a more defence oriented position.

This left Link, 17, the youngest and newest member of the Farore House polo team and the player in the number two spot. The number two spot usually goes to the second best player who works between offense and defence. Messy dark blond hair and icy blue eyes, that was him alright. Link was quite witty when he had to be but he was also dutiful.

Every morning Link would look around the team's usual table in the servant mess hall and felt like he was among family. Algar would often be talking about his girl troubles and wanting to find a rich wife, Nale would be cursing about someone he wanted to beat up for no real reason, Finn would sit quietly next to Link with his hands folded near his mouth and looking down at some old book. This left Link in the middle of it all, who was often laughing at Algar's poor luck with women, and Nale's unfathomable anger towards total strangers. Together they were a team that just somehow worked. Did they think they could win the King's Plate? No. Did they think they could have fun? Yes. Fun was the main reason they played polo in the first place.

The busy chatter of servants that boomed through the hall soon fell silent as the knights near the north staircase stood at attention and saluted. The first few tables to witness this irregular event fell quiet, and soon like a wild fire or a bad disease, the silence spread. Link's table was the very last one to quiet down. It was quite embarrassing for them, as Nale was the very last person in the hall talking. It was his loud, scrappy and obnoxious voice that carried and bounced off the stone walls. It did not help that he was using some colourful language as well.

"Nale... I think you should shut up now." Algar swallowed hard as he looked at the hundreds of eyes staring back at him.

"Ah, what da bloody 'ell do I care!" Nale burped. "By this evening, all these people here will be kissing the ground we walk on! We're gonna win that goddess damn plate this year! I don't care what kind of mother heffing snobs we go against! They're gonna remember the green caps!"

Finn grabbed a leftover bean off of his plate and threw it at Nale. He then raised his index finger to his lips and gave his teammate a firm glare before nodding in the direction of the northern staircase.

The four looked on with the rest of the servants as the shadow of the king's magician crept down the stairs.

"Mihari? Now what da 'ell does he want with the likes of us?" Nale whispered.

"Probably came down here to steal our souls." Algar rolled his eyes sarcastically. "You know, in place of the one he doesn't have."

"Ay, don't cha need a way to carry your soul? His whole being is like one big black hole, sucks all the spirit out of everything. How do you reckon he'll carry the soul he don't 'ave if his existence consumes everything?" Nale scoffed.

Link was shaking nervously when he saw the dark magician appear before the castle servants.

"I am looking for a man." Mihari sighed in his usual seductive tone.

Nale stood up and shouted bluntly. "AH! Aye! I knew it! He's not a he at all! He's a she! And she be looking for a groom!"

There was a sudden roar of laughter from everyone in the hall. Even the knights couldn't help but smirk at the magician's expense. Mihari just scowled at the crowd with his arms crossed until they silenced again. Once they did, Mihari began to laugh hysterically.

"Oh, ahahahaha! You're so funny!" Mihari held his sides while laughing. There was a bit of nervous laughter in the crowd at that point.

Nale remained standing, despite Algar, Link and Finn trying to push him back into his seat. Link could hear the people behind him commenting on how Nale was a dead man if he didn't sit down.

When Mihari stopped laughing he narrowed his eyes and snapped his fingers, making a single diamond shaped projectile appear out of thin air. This alone amazed everyone in the room. "Anyone standing, other than myself and the knights will be hit."

It was obvious he was talking about Nale, who refused to sit down. "Oh, bring it on ya old feeble broad! You'll only confirm what everyone here thinks of ya!"

"Oh, what's that?" Mihari said quite calmly.

"That you're responsible for all the disappearances! That you killed all those missing people on a whim! That you killed Queen Deidre! That you're just a lowly snake that can do a few simple party tricks! You're nothing but a villain who took advantage of a weak minded man, the king!"

"Nale!" Link, Algar and Finn grabbed at Nale's shirt, trying to pull him to his seat. He still stood firmly, no matter what his teammates did.

"Party tricks, hm?" Mihari chuckled and watched the diamond projectile spin in midair. "Well then... is this what you call a party trick!?" Mihari snapped his fingers again and made more projectiles appear. With a flick of his wrist they were sent flying towards Nale.

Link quickly grabbed his metal breakfast tray and dumped its contents onto the table and then jumped in front of his friend at the last second, protecting him from the strange bullets. The bullets hit the tray hard and made loud clashing sounds as the dented the cheap metal.

Mihari raised his eyebrows as a sudden gasp echoed through the room. "Well, then. It seems you are the man I am looking for. No need for bloodshed or senseless hunting. You came to me." Mihari licked his lips and whispered. "That's what all the smart prey do."

Link dropped the tray on the floor and scowled at the magician. "You could have killed somebody."

"Oh, who cares about a few servants? Everyone is replaceable." Mihari shrugged. "307, or should I say... Link, could you kindly come with me? Not that I'll give you much choice."

Nale was having trouble trying to shut his eyes, but he had taken his seat. "Oy, t-thanks mate. I didn't expect him to actually do that. I thought he was bluffing. I didn't think he'd try to kill someone with so many witnesses around, ya."

"It's fine." Link smiled at his foulmouthed friend. "It's not the first time your mouthing off go you in trouble. It won't be the last time either I bet."

"Well, Link, are you coming? Or are you going to make me come and get you?" Mihari yelled and then licked his lips.

"Oh he'd like that I bet." Nale whispered.

"Don't go Link." Algar shook his head violently. "He'll butcher ya."

"Yeah, look what he did to that poor tray. That coulda been me!" Nale pointed at the dented tray at Link's feet.

Finn sighed and closed his book. "He wouldn't kill Link, not today anyway. It's the tournament today, and wouldn't it be odd if one of our players didn't show up after being called to come away with Mihari? He's got enough speculation circling him as it is. In killing Link, he would only confirm it. If he wants to kill you, it'll be at a later date."

"Gee, thanks." Link groaned as he looked towards the scowling magician on the other side of the hall. He then raised his voice, this time addressing Mihari. "Okay, I'll go with you!"

And with that, Mihari's scowl turned into a beaming smile. "Smart choice."

Link began his trek through the aisles to the northern stairs. He could see that almost every set of eyes at the passing tables were fixed on him. It was like having hundreds upon hundreds of small pins being stabbed into his sides. He really didn't want the attention.

When he reached Mihari, he looked back to see his teammates trying to meet his eye. This made him smile a bit.

"Let's go, I have much to tell you." Mihari turned quickly to the stairwell and began to climb.

Link slowly followed, doing as the magician said. He wasn't sure what Mihari wanted to say to him, but he knew whatever it was, was somehow going to change the course of his life forever.

When they reached the first floor, Mihari began to make small talk with the servant boy, though he never looked back to face him directly. "How long have you been here?"

"Since I was born..." Link answered carefully as the magician led him through strange, winding corridors.

"Oh, so you've never known anything else?" Mihari nodded. "You wouldn't fair well in the outside world."

"Well, actually I get to leave the grounds once a week and go into Castle Town."

"And what do you do there?"

"I dunno. Eat different food. Play some games. Go sightseeing. Window shopping."

"Window shopping?"

"Yeah, when you don't intend to buy anything but instead look intently at it. I can't afford any of the stuff I look at in the shops."

"Like what?"

"Well, there was this neat horse call, it was 100 rupees. Oh, and there was this bow, it was 300 rupees."

"Things are expensive nowadays in Castle Town. Hyrule has been having a rough time with their trading partners. You have your king to thank for that, for being so difficult to work with. Well, that and those rascals in the southeastern colonies who have been intercepting trade routes." Mihari shook his head. "It's a whole lot of grief over a bunch of fairy tales."

Mihari's last statement struck Link as odd. Mihari was one of the first people Link had ever heard bash Hyrule's religion.

"Fairy tales?" Link questioned.

"Mhm. When you were young you heard stories of goddesses who built the world, but can you prove their existence?"

"I-I think the goddesses are everywhere we look and they're always with us."

"Hm, yet another brainwashed sheep."

And with that the conversation dropped. Mihari had lead Link to a secluded, dead end hallway. "We're here."

"This is it?" Link looked around the darkened hallway. He had never been in this part of the castle before.

Mihari then raised his hand to a particular brick in the wall. He then tapped it gently and it sank into the wall. The wall then opened like a door. There was a bright and mysterious yellow glow coming from the new corridor. "Follow me."

Link couldn't believe it. He followed the magician with caution. _I wonder if the king even knows about this..._

Link had stepped onto an iron staircase and the door, that was the wall closed behind him with a loud bang. The clinks and clanks of his and the magician's feet reverberated through the yellow chamber. The spiral stairway shook unstably as the two hustled down.

When Link reached the bottom the whole room was an eerie yellow. The cobblestone floor and the ice cold stone walls all illuminated the yellow hue. The room was no bigger than your average apartment. There was a fireplace that had a smokeless blue flame crackling within it. In front of the fireplace were two puce coloured arm chairs with a small circular table between them. There appeared to be some sort of perch for a bird sitting on top of this table. There were work benches and tables around the room that had strange elixirs and books stack on top of them. The one that caught Link's eye was this strange liquid that changed colour while it bubbled and boiled over a burner. Next to it were several open texts that appeared to have been violently searched through for facts.

"Welcome to my cozy little abode." Mihari bowed and pointed towards the arm chairs. "Please take a seat."

Link nervous obliged. The whole room gave him the creeps. He wondered where Mihari slept at night. Did Mihari even sleep? Perhaps he was a creature of the night like many of the other servants had proclaimed.

He tried to keep his composure on the outside, but on the inside Link was secretly screaming in terror. Fear kicked in when a strange little red bird with a big beak swooped over Link's head and landed on the perch on the table.

"W-what kind of bird is that?" Link jumped.

Mihari chuckled at Link's reaction. "Oh, it's a Loftwing. They're very rare birds. This is the only one in existence."

"How do you know it's the only one in existence?" Link teased as he sat down in one of the chairs. He realized that his chair was incredibly hard and uncomfortable.

"Trust me. I know." Mihari smirked as he walked over to one of his work benches. "Would you like some tea?"

"Uhm..."

"Oh, I will simply not take no for an answer. Besides, this is very special tea. I'm sure you know what it is, you work in the kitchen after all."

"It's royal family tea?"

"Oh yes indeed. Only those with blue blood get to drink it. I'm sure it'll give you the extra kick you need to win the tournament today."

"I don't care about winning."

"You don't?" Mihari faked a gasp as he began pouring tea into two separate mugs. He slipped a strange green powder into the one mug after the tea had been poured. "Why don't you know my boy?"

"Know what?" Link glanced at the loftwing curiously.

"My, my you don't know." Mihari shook his head.

"Know what?"

"The princess is awarding the plate to the winning team this year. The king wants his daughter to be more involved in the games, so this is his idea."

Link was quiet for a moment. "Why does that matter?"

"Well, one lucky member from the winning team will be promised to the princess. Meaning, said person will be her prince."

Link turned around in his chair to look at Mihari's back. Mihari was trying not to laugh at the young man's envy.

"She doesn't want to get married though. I realize this." Mihari continued as he turned around with a grin. He walked forward with a mug in both hands and eventually gave Link his tea. "That is why..."

Link look down at the hot brown beverage in his cup, trying to reflect on the conversation he had had with the princess the night before.

Mihari sat down in the other chair and continued. "That is why... I think it would be most beneficial if your team won. One of you can sneak her out of the castle."

"Why should I care about this anyway?" Link shook his head viciously. "Why would we sneak her out of the castle?"

"You do not have to get married. I know how the princess yearns for a life outside the castle walls. You could give it to her."

"She would be abandoning the throne she is promised to. Then what would happen after that? Pure turmoil?" Link took a few sips from his mug. "This is good tea by the way."

"Oh, I will take care of the throne. Don't you know that we can just get one of her cousins to come in and take her place?"

"But I thought."

"No, no, no. We plan ahead. They just don't want everyone to know that. If anything were to happen to our dearest, beloved princess, we have a list of successors to take her place. Worry not. We screen every single one of them." Mihari smiled and took a sip of his tea. "Why, if everyone knew that we had a list of successors on hand, every great monarch would have dropped their title and ran away well before their coronation."

Link realized how miserable Zelda was, especially after how much she vented to him. Somewhere deep in his mind, he was starting to come around to the idea of freeing the princess from her prison. Link hated seeing people who were upset with their lives, and so he always wanted to try to make things better for them. It did not help that Mihari had dumped a special powdered potion into Link's tea that made him easily believe everything the magician said.

"Okay... we'll try to win it." Link nodded and took another sip of tea.

"Oh good boy!" Mihari exclaimed in happiness. "Now I have something else to tell you."

"Okay." Link placed his mug on the table between them. The little loftwing squawked.

"The king has requested you serve _him_ dinner in his office from now on." Mihari sighed as he stood up. "This is not a question, this is an order. You will receive more pay this way as well. Perhaps you'll be able to buy that bow you liked so much in Castle Town."

Mihari then snapped his fingers and Link found himself sitting on an old, wooden, and rotted out bench in the polo dressing room. Mihari had teleported him. Link slapped his hand to his forehead and slid it down his face in disbelief. There was no more time for confusion. Link could hear his teammates noisily approaching the door. It was time to suit up, the competition was about to begin.

The three men came crashing through the door laughing and shouting. Well, Nale and Algar were. Finn on the other hand was following behind quietly, trying to find his focus. When they saw Link sitting on the dressing room bench they couldn't believe it.

"Link, how the 'ell did you get down here?" Nale blurted out.

"Forget that! How did the meeting with the dark magician himself go?" Algar added.

"Forget both of your questions. We need to get ready. The tournament starts in fifteen minutes." Finn scolded. "Get ready. There's no time to waste."

The men all nodded before going to their respected cubby and grabbing their belongings.

They quickly stripped down and dressed back up in their uniforms. They all glanced at each other, green tunics with long sleeved white shirts and chainmail underneath, pure white pants, and tall brown boots that rose just below the knee. They also wore strong brown gloves that stopped just before the elbow and long, pointed green hats. The last pieces to their outfits were the brown belts that ran around their waists.

"Looking sharp boys." Algar smiled at his teammates.

"Yeah yeah. What kind of monkey suits do you guys think the nobles are wearing?" Nale scoffed and pulled on his tunic.

"Probably something made out of the finest Skulltula silk money can buy." Algar laughed. "They won't want to get it dirty."

"So let's make a pact. If we make it to the end of this tournament, we'll dirty up their uniforms." Nale smiled.

"We have to make it to the end..." Link nodded to his teammates. "We just gotta."

"Listen, Link, buddy. We probably won't. You'll get your ears pierced anyway, it's club tradition. Once the new kid takes part in the tournament, we pierce his ears, it doesn't matter how well we do." Algar explained as he tugged on the small silver hoop in his right ear, as if Link even cared about it. "We'll do our best. We'll go out there and have some fun, we may not win, but at least we tried."

"My money is on Din this year." Nale nodded. "Ya'll seen how powerful and accurate of a shot they all are?"

"Nah, Nayru will take it this year for sure." Finn shook his head. "They have such well thought out strategies. What use is power and accuracy if you don't have the wisdom to create a plan that will utilize them?"

"Well I think Farore can win this one." Link added. "I mean, we're courageous, right? We pull some really brave moves, and it usually benefits us."

"I dunno Link." Algar scratched his chin. "I just don't know."


	4. The Perfect Match

**Act 4:**_** The Perfect Match **_

Zelda walked down a hall full of portrait paintings of her ancestors. It was one hall of many. Zelda could see the stoic faces of her family on either side of her. Her favourite painting was the one of her great, great grandmother, Queen Zelda VI who ascended the throne after peace had been obtained sometime during the Twilight era. Zelda VI, who was also sometimes known as "Zelda the Dreary", was the last queen regent Hyrule had seen. So Zelda often looked to her ancestor for inspiration, especially in times of confusion. She felt connected to her since Zelda VI was the most recent female to ascend the throne, even though Zelda VI's reign ended nearly a century earlier.

The young crown princess looked up at the portrait of a woman who looked somewhat like her. The royals (especially the women of the family) were infamous for carrying on specific traits, so it didn't surprise Zelda that she looked like the former queen. Zelda admired the painting and could see the queen was sitting down and staring at the viewer with an aloof expression, something Zelda VI was often known for according to historians. With her hair in braids at the front and her tiara hugging her head, the queen had her right hand placed on the hilt of a sword, no one knew what sword this was as it was difficult to tell, but most people assumed it was the Ordon Sword that monarchs had used in knighting ceremonies since the Twilight era. It was the same sword Zelda had seen hanging safely in its scabbard on her father's hip.

Somewhere in Zelda VI's distant and oil based eyes, the young princess could find guidance. It was always this painting of the queen that Zelda found herself staring at. It had been painted just days before Zelda VI's official coronation.

Perhaps the queen's cold stare and dull expression reminded Zelda of how unhappy royals could be, and it made her feel okay to feel the things she was feeling. Zelda's tutors had always said that Zelda VI was a rather lonely and distant woman, but it was of her own doing. Historians had said the kingdom was shocked when Zelda VI announced her engagement, many thought she would become a spinster. Gossips allegedly whispered about the queen's government and court forcing her to marry and produce heirs when she wanted to be "married to her country". Of course there was also the rumour that the queen had taken a lover in the Hero of Twilight shortly after the defeat of Ganondorf and even remained "involved" with him during her marriage. It was said that she was not allowed to marry him for he was not of 'proper stock', so she went for the next best thing. This was just a story of course. But it got interesting once people began saying how Zelda VI's two sons did not look like the king at all. All the same, dull, old Zelda VI went down in history as one of Hyrule's greatest sovereigns.

Zelda traveled a little further down the hall after paying her silent respects to her great, great grandmother. She could see the painting of her father and her late uncle, Prince Darclus. The two young men were in some sort of uniform and standing side-by-side, and staring at each other with their arms crossed. Darclus had dark eyes and rusty, red hair, a rare sight in the royal lineage, but he looked very much like Zelda's own father when it came to the rest of his physical appearance.

Every time Zelda saw a depiction of her deceased uncle she couldn't help but feel angry. It was her uncle's death that caused her father to be put on the throne, and eventually she would take his place. Zelda could have had a simpler or a more easy going life had Darclus not died of a disease that was now curable. Of course it was foolish of Zelda to feel that way, even she knew that. But all the same, I am sure there are times when even you, my reader, have just been angry even though it wasn't justified.

Next to the portrait of her father and late uncle was a painting of her cousins. The pair that went missing and caused her family branch to take control on the throne, Prince Zolo and Princess Zola. Both appeared to be in their late-teens or early-twenties in the portrait, and both appeared to be very clean cut individuals, very royal looking. Zola was sitting at a desk with her hands folded and gazing at the viewer, whereas Zolo was standing diligently behind the desk.

Prince Zolo, Crown Prince of Hyrule, was a handsome individual and was slim and tall, yet muscular. He had kind yet intense looking grey eyes and neatly combed dirty blond hair. He was wearing a military uniform of sorts, much like the people in the paintings before him. He also appeared to have a sword on his back, and the detail in the painted hilt looked much like the detail in the actual Ordon sword. Zelda found this feature quite odd because this was the only painting, to her knowledge, that the person in the painting who was carrying the Ordon Sword was not the monarch or the soon-to-be monarch.

Then there was Princess Zola, Duchess of Ordona. She had fine, long, bleach blonde hair that extended down to her lower back and similar eyes to that of her brother. But her eyes had a certain level of intelligence and alertness to them. Zelda assumed Zola was wearing a dark purple dress in the painting, it was hard to tell.

Zelda's father had told her that the royal pair had been a number of years older than he was and that he was just a boy when they disappeared, so he couldn't remember much about them. King Gengo was the last person alive to have had contact with the missing royals, who had gone missing over five decades prior.

Zelda studied the painting a little more for a moment and stared at the siblings. "What happened to you two? You two have to be one of Hyrule's greatest mysteries. There are those stories that neither of you wanted the throne, so you ran away and lived out your lives as vagabonds... no, that's just not done. It's just not _royal_. Royals can't just run away, can they?"

The thought of running away had plagued Zelda's mind several times. If Zolo and Zola were indeed a success story like the fables had said, than what stopped history from repeating itself? In Zelda's young mind, if two royals could get away without being found, it could be much easier if there was just one of them.

Zelda shook her head, trying to free her mind from the idea, no matter how temping it was to revisit time and time again. She walked away from the portrait, realizing it was triggering these thoughts. Though like most people Zelda knew, absence only makes the heart grow fonder... especially if it's an idea that could get you out of a prison.

Eventually Zelda's journey through the hall led her to one of her own portraits, the first one she ever posed for. A little girl holding an ocarina, wearing a pink and white dress with bright, blonde, medium length hair and kind blue eyes. She had a small braid in her hair as well. The memories of that day came flooding back to the princess as if it had just happened several hours prior.

"_Don't smile Zelda." Gengo's strict voice ordered._

_The artist sat behind the canvas and occasionally poked his head out to get another look at the princess he was painting. _

"_W-why not?" Zelda whined as she played with her braid._

"_Because, it's tradition." Gengo sighed. "And don't move so much, you'll screw up Mr. Piva's work." _

"_Well, let's start a new tradition daddy!" Zelda exclaimed, dropping the ocarina to the ground. _

_Gengo gasped and the artist, Piva, cursed up a storm. "Bah, you little brat! I was only 'alf way thru sketching out your 'ands!"_

"_You talk funny..." Zelda murmured. "Where are you from again? Daddy, why don't you pick people from Hyrule to do our paintings? I think the people of our kingdom are easier to understand."_

"'_Ow dare you!" Piva shouted. "I am from the great Kingdom of Vidla! It is greater than this little dump! Some of the greatest artists 'ave come from Vidla!"_

"_You dare speak to royalty like that!? You dare speak of my kingdom in such a way!?" Gengo barked as he raised his left arm in the air. "Off with his head!"_

_Piva's eyes widened with fear as two guards grabbed the artist by the arms and dragged him off. "Oh no-no-no-no! Sire I assure you, I did not mean to insult you!"_

_Gengo was fuming, Zelda could see that. Not only was he angry at the artist's ignorance but also at his daughter's disobedience._

"_Well, I suppose we'll just have to hire a new artist." Mihari, Gengo's magician, yawned as he emerged from the shadows. "I'm not a real fan of the Vidish anyway, nothing but slimballs. Perhaps your majesty would commission a Hylian artist to depict his little daughter's beauty instead? You would be giving one of your people a job."_

"_Great idea Mihari!" Gengo nodded and laughed heartily. "Glad to have you around!"_

Zelda looked down at the cobblestone floor. It was that day that Zelda learned how much power her father actually had, and how much power Mihari held over her father.

Zelda could hear cannons being fired. She immediately snapped out of her daydream. She knew the tournament would start soon enough and she knew that she would have to pick a side to watch. Would she watch the nobles with her father or the servants and cheer on her kitchen boy, Link? "If only I could be in two places at once..."

"Perhaps I could be of assistance to your cause, my dear princess?" a seductive male voice chimed from behind Zelda.

* * *

Farore, Din and Nayru polo houses marched out into the field together and stared each other down.

Link scanned the field and saw that the other two teams were wearing similar clothing as he was, they were just different colours.

Algar looked back at his team and nodded. "Right then... everyone ready?"

Link, Nale and Finn all nodded back at their team captain.

"Then let's get that plate!" Algar smiled at Link.

"Right." Nale agreed. "Let's take it all this year boys."

Finn simply nodded again.

Link gasped in shock. It seemed like moments ago the team had doubted their victory and now that they stood out on the field, some form of confidence had taken them over.

The Din team let out a loud roar of laughter and jeered at the Farore team from the other side of the pitch.

Din's team captain seemed to command the most attention. It was probably because she was a woman and the only other female on the pitch was one of the players for Nayru House.

Her long brown locks swayed in the gentle breeze underneath her red cap as she approached Algar with a smug grin on her face.

"Perhaps you and your boys will quit now before you have to go up against Din?" she mocked as she ran her index finger down Algar's cheek. "Let's not forget last year's most embarrassing defeat, hm? Remind me sweet Algar, what was the score again?"

Algar looked down in embarrassment and muttered his reply. "Fifteen – nothing."

She raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Fifteen –nothing." She then turned and looked at the Nayru team. "I bet you won't even beat Nayru this year. Oh wait, you didn't beat them last year either."

Nale's face went bright red in anger. "Now hear this you conniving little harpy! Just because you're team wins the servant tournament every single year doesn't mean a damn thing! Everyone here knows that once you face off against one of the noble teams in the finals, you get your sorry arses handed to ya!"

The Din captain sighed. "Oh Nale, Nale, Nale. I suppose you are right. But I'll have you know, for the last fifteen years, Din house has made it to the finals. So what does that say about Nayru and Farore? Or do you suspect that you will win this year?"

"Damn straight we're gonna win! We've got him!" Nale pointed back to Link. "He's one of the best players the servant teams have ever had."

The Din captain raised her eyebrows again as she walked up to Link. "Ah, fresh meat. It's good to have some new blood on the pitch every now and again, both figuratively and literally. What's your name buddy?" she rested a flirtatious hand on Link's shoulder. "Or shall we skip the names and just get down to it, hm?"

"D-down to what?" Link laughed nervously as he watched the captain's boney fingers tap on his shoulder.

Finn glared at the Din captain for a moment before he spoke. "She means, taunting you. She did the same to me last year."

The captain rolled her eyes as she removed her hand from Link's shoulder. "Oh Finn, you're still the same stick in the mud I see. If only your polo playing did not match your personality."

"Get lost Elsa!" Algar barked. "You're making my new player nervous!"

The captain smirked as she began to walk back to her teammates. "Very well then, have it your way. But don't even think for a minute that Farore can take the servant tournament, you're nothing but a bunch of losers."

Nale was seething as he swung his fist in the air. "Yah? Well we're gonna prove what a bunch of losers Din house is! Sore losers that is!"

She said nothing more as her teammates clicked their tongues at the Farore players and continued to mock them.

"Well that settles it! We've gotta win now! I'm not losing one more game to that harpy and the Dim Dins!" Nale shouted at Algar, Finn and Link."And we're not losing to the freakin' Nay-Nays either! We're going all the way this year!"

Finn rolled his eyes. "That's what you said last year."

"Yeah, but we didn't have Link on our team last year." Algar nodded his head towards Link who seemed to shy away at the mention of his own name.

"Who was that anyway?" Link asked obliviously as he pointed to the back of the Din team captain's head.

"Only the biggest she-wolf bitch in the history of Hyrule, Elsa of Din." Nale scoffed. "She's a chambermaid who is more beautiful than a sunny day after a bunch of rainy ones, more deceptive than a corrupt politician, more deadly than all of the soldiers in Hyrule, and more man than you could ever aspire to be. She's also a cocky braggart."

"You left out the part where she's one of the best servant polo players in the history of the King's Plate." Finn added. "She's led the house of Din to victory since she was thirteen years old. That made her one of the youngest players ever, and also one of the first females to take part in the King's Plate."

Link shook his head confused. "How is she more man than anyone could ever aspire to be? She seemed pretty feminine just a moment ago."

Algar laughed. "Oh-ho-ho! She's a beast on the pitch. She plays like a man. She fights like a man. She curses like a man. She's as violent as a man. She eats like a man. Yet she has the body of a harem woman."

Link squinted at his teammates for a moment. "So that makes her... manly?"

Finn sighed. "Some men just aren't use to seeing women take on such a role, this being a prime example. I personally think she is a good player, but a bad person."

Suddenly there was the sound of trumpets roaring into the air. One of the king's attendants rushed out into the field with a stack of note cards in his hand. "Ahem, on behalf of his majesty, King Gengo the Second and the royal family of Hyrule, I declare the King's Plate, Servant Tournament-

"Wait!" a girl's voice shouted from one of the windows up above. "Wait!"

All of the players, soldiers, assistants and spectators looked up at the far south window to see a girl with blonde hair waving down at them.

"H-her highness..." the assistant shuddered as he slowly entered an awkward bowing position. "Well don't just stand there you fools! Bow to your princess!"

There were some confused looks but eventually everyone in the field had bowed down and were now trying to get a better look at the young lady who was waiting to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, her Royal Highness, Zelda, Crown Princess of Hyrule!' the assistant shouted as he introduced the girl in the window.

"Gee thanks." Zelda rolled her eyes at the introduction. "I'll be right down!"

The assistant looked up at the window in shock as the servants all rose up from their bows to see that the princess had left and was in fact on her way to the field to open the tournament.

"This is... this is... this is just... outrageous!" the assistant yelled at his underlings. "The royals have never opened the servant tournament before, nor have they ever even sat and watched the servants play. What is going on here?"

Link couldn't help but smile as more and more confusion filled the air. _So she's keeping her word. She sure is some princess._

Within moments the Crown Princess of Hyrule was marching out onto the field as trumpets sounded again, announcing her official entry. The assistant that was supposed to be opening the tournament rushed to Zelda's side and began pestering her.

"Oh I am so sorry your highness. If I had known you were opening the servant games I would have arranged to have the royal carpet rolled out, had your flag being flown and I would have had the royal anthem played."

"Tavis... it's fine. It really is, just fine." Zelda shook her head and sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't need all of the fuss anyway. I'm not worth it."

The assistant's jaw hit the ground in outrage and disbelief. "Your highness! Of course you're worth it! You're the-

"Future queen, I know." Zelda cut him off. "And as such, I believe I should be able to relate to my future subjects. My servants are my future subjects. Since I am not allowed to interact with my people, I figured I could get some practice here at home. Goddess knows I don't learn anything from my father."

Link watched the princess interact with the royal aides for a few moments before she did her speech. He could tell just by watching her that she had no idea as to what she was to do, and that she was nervous. But yet she carried herself with the dignity and pride of a queen, even though that was a destiny that was thought to be far off.

Zelda eventually stepped in front of her assistants and cleared her throat as she looked over the assistant's note cards for references. "Ahem... hello. Welcome everyone to the servant tournament of the King's Plate. As most of you know, the winner of this tournament goes on to battle the noble tournament champion for the King's Plate." Zelda looked down at the notes and back at her audience, she could feel her palms dripping sweat. "I would like to thank all of you who support this great sport that brings so many people together, and has almost become Hyrule's second religion."

The servants laughed a bit, knowing that the princess was poking fun at the religious disputes going on between young Hylian colonies who choose to worship the deity know as Hylia and some of Hyrule's greatest religious maniacs. It was a strife that had been going on for years and the threat of a religious war that most people did not want to fight, was soon to be on the hands of the royal family.

"Though I will not lie to you, I am quite nervous as to be doing this. It is my first time out on my own, but don't tell my father. I find you people much more interesting than the nobles I have to sit around during this tournament."

There was more light laughter and one woman even shouted out. "Yeah, that's because we care about our princess, not like those bloody noble who only want her power!"

Zelda only smirked and giggled at the comment as the servants laughed and someone in the crowd shouted "amen!"

"Well without further delay, on behalf of my father, the king, I declare this tournament officially open." Zelda bowed to her servants. They gasped of course, it wasn't normal for a royal to bow to the help.

The Tavis swallowed hard as the princess turned to him unsure what she did wrong. "Your highness, you-you bowed!"

"Annnnnnnd?" Zelda shrugged.

"T-that-that... it's just not done! You're royal! You're divine! They are below you!" Tavis protested.

Zelda rolled her eyes as she headed towards the benches. "Well, we're all equal today I guess."

Tavis was sweating nervously, unsure if the princess's presents had been blessed by the king. He knew it would be the dungeon for him if he didn't act correctly, but Tavis had a sweet spot for the princess. She was like a daughter to him, and he knew the king would be furious with her, Tavis didn't want that. "But wait... the king must have noticed that her highness is not present at the noble tournament. It is going on right now as well in the other courtyard. So he must have blessed it indeed!"

* * *

In fact the king hadn't blessed this at all. As far as he knew his daughter would be attending the noble games with him, where he would introduce her to more suitors.

Of course Zelda's absence worried the king. She was not there for the opening ceremony or for the reading of the rules. The fact that Gengo's trusted magician, advisor and confidant, Mihari was missing as well. This only gave the king more stress.

King Gengo was old, obese and grey, but he was not deaf. He had heard the whispers among servants, advisors and courtiers alike. Mihari was a suspicious character, he always had been, but Gengo accepted it. Gengo was not perfect either, that's why he needed Mihari.

The only thing about Mihari that Gengo had ever questioned was how he never seemed to age. Mihari looked no different than he did the day he met the king many years prior. But the stories worried Gengo. Stories of the 'disappearances' having something to do with the magician worried Gengo. The fact that his daughter was missing at the same time Mihari was missing worried Gengo. For the first time ever, Gengo doubted Mihari.

"Oh, I am so sorry to be late my lord. Her highness the crown princess is, unwell. I was busy mixing up a batch of my special illness elixir. She should be better by tomorrow morning." Mihari's seductive voice sighed from behind the king's temporary throne.

Gengo turned around to see his pale face magician smiling back at him. "How did you...? Never mind. Is she bedridden?"

Mihari shook his head sadly as he watched the noblemen on horseback chasing the ball up the field. "Unfortunately, yes. She had some of my elixir and fell asleep. I made sure that would be the effect. It is most terrible to be awake when you are ill."

Gengo nodded and turned his attention back to the polo match. "I am most grateful to have someone like you by my side Mihari. These years without Deidre have been difficult, but you help me out quite a bit. I don't know what I would do without you."

Mihari smiled a twisted smile and bowed dramatically. "Oh and your majesty knows that I will always be here whenever he needs me. I am but his most humble servant."

The king said nothing more as he nodded in assurance. In his mind he saw no reason to doubt Mihari. After all, the magician had just taken care of the king's heir as if she was his own.

The king and his magician watched the polo match in silence before Mihari spoke again. "So, what team are you pulling for this year, your majesty?"

"The Kakariko Boys are a favourite this year. Their captain is one fine lad as well. He's the grandson of the man who taught me how to ride a horse!" Gengo folded his hands in his lap. "He's definitely royal material. He was raised in the rough, unforgiving terrain of the Gerudo Desert, a real man's man. He is someone who could take care of my daughter."

Mihari simply chuckled quietly to himself as the king went on and on about the new suitor. "Do you know his name?"

"Of course I do!" Gengo bellowed. "It's... it's... it's ummm... Gordo! In fact there he is right now! Gordo my boy!"

A handsome young man with messy, bright red hair, golden eyes and tanned skin looked over at the king from the sidelines in surprise. The young man pointed at himself and made eye contact with the king. Gengo then nodded and waved the man over.

Mihari whispered in the king's ear as Gordo began walking towards them. "Your majesty, he looks a bit like your deceased brother, don't you agree? It's probably just the hair though."

The young man known as Gordo slowly approached the royal box. A gentle, warm breeze swayed his red tunic slightly and kicked his long red cape around. The sun glistened off of his silver and gold breastplate, giving the affect of a godly presents.

"Your majesty, it is truly an honour." Gordo bowed down on his knee. "Just so you know sir, I would gladly take an arrow for you."

Gengo raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, how... courageous? Most young people these days won't even finish school, let alone take an arrow for their king."

Gordo stood up in shock. "The young people of Caste Town neglect their education?"

Mihari eyed Gordo up like a piece of meat while Gengo answered. "Oh, we've had education problems for years. There have been problems since the Twilight era." Gengo patted on his daughter's empty temporary throne. "Please, have a seat."

Gordo gave the old king a shocked look as he looked around to see if anyone was watching. Mihari continued to smirk as he watched the young man sit awkwardly in the chair next to the king's.

Gengo continued to chat with the handsome young man as two of the noble teams played their match. Though, the king was barely interested in the game. Mihari was shocked to see Gengo taking an interest in Gordo. Mihari was more than pleased with this revelation to say the least. _He's perfect. _

"So do you fight?" Gengo questioned. "Like swordplay, archery and so on?"

Gordo took a moment to form his reply. "Well, I'm not very good with a bow. But I'm alright with a short-sword and a javelin. Oh, and with the right shield, I can work wonders."

"Oh? What sort of short swords do you wield?" Gengo nodded and stroked his bread.

"The gladius is my personal favourite."

"Oh of course it is! How silly of me to ask! You're from the desert wastelands, that's where they make gladius swords."

Mihari shook his head and chuckled. "_Just_ a short-sword? What about a long sword or a rapier? I've seen the servants practicing with long swords, for the unlikely case that some evil doers broke through the guards and got into the castle." Mihari then looked at Gordo. "I don't suppose you could beat a servant in a long sword battle?"

Gengo furrowed his brow and looked at Gordo with a sense of expectation. "Well, of course the lad could best a mere servant in combat. Couldn't you, my boy?"

Gordo stuttered. "Oh, oh of course I could beat a petty servant in combat. Though long swords are not my forte, I could surely beat a servant in a battle."

"You see Mihari, he's a good, strong lad." Gengo smiled and nodded.

"I suppose you are right, your majesty. It was wrong for me to doubt him." Mihari bowed. "But I don't suppose he could prove it to us sometime? After all, I would say this boy is a contender for your daughter's hand, no?"

Gordo swallowed hard. "E-excuse me? Daughter's hand?"

"Don't you realize? He's interviewing you." Mihari divulged with a laughed as the king shot him a mean glare.

"And you passed with flying colours!" Gengo barked.

Gordo's face went red. "Princess Zelda as my wife? Wouldn't that one day make me..."

"King!" Mihari exclaimed. "King Gordo the First!"

Gordo had heard many stories of the princess's beauty, but like many people, he had never seen her. Zelda was said to be one of the most beautiful women in Hyrule, and also the most desirable. For Gordo it would have been a done deal, but there was that one little catch that made him unsure. Gordo would become a prince upon his marriage to Zelda and eventually be crowned king. Gordo didn't want the responsibility, like most people in the kingdom.

"Well, gosh..." Gordo scratched his head.

"Do you accept my proposal for you to become one of my daughter's suitors?" Gengo smiled as Mihari looked over his shoulder intently.

"Um..." Gordo sighed. "Can I meet her first?"

Gengo stared at the boy blankly for a moment but eventually broke into hysterical laughter. "Oh-ho-ho! But of course you can my boy! Of course you can! How silly of me to not have you introduced at first."

Gordo sighed in relief. At least he had dodged the answer. One does not simply say 'no' to the king of Hyrule, especially if he is asking you to potentially wed his daughter.

Suddenly there was a round of applause as one of the noblemen players from either side jumped off of their horses and shook hands in the middle of the field in front of one of the officials.

The official raised his hands in the air and shouted. "This match has been decided! The West Castle Men have claimed this match and will move on to the next round!"

Gengo sat up in his chair and clapped. Gordo took his cue from the king and clapped along with him. Mihari did nothing but smirk with his arms crossed.

"Now for the next match!" the official cleared his throat. Two other officials wheeled a large blackboard onto the field. The official grabbed a piece of chalk and crossed off the name of the losing team and circled the name of the West Castle Men. He then pointed to the next set of teams who were to play. "Next match will be between the Ordon Stampeders and the Kakariko Boys! You have ten minutes to prepare yourselves. Good luck to you all."

Gordo then stood up and bowed to Gengo. "Excuse me your majesty, but I must get ready."

Gengo nodded to the young man. "Of course. Good luck my boy. May the golden goddesses guide you to victory."

And with that Gordo was off.

"Definitely king material, hm?" Mihari nodded as the young man vanished from sight. "Could keep your kingdom and daughter safe for years to come, no?"

"Yes, most definitely. I like his look. It's the look of a monarch!" Gengo nodded. "He and my daughter would look most wonderful together. Their children would be most wonderful as well."

Mihari just laughed at the old king's reply. "And what if your daughter does not like him?"

Gengo stared off as he watched Gordo's team mount their horses and put on their heavy metal helmets. He watched Gordo fix his cape and adjust his sandals for a moment before he replied. "She'll have no choice in the matter. He's the one. There is no one else left."

Mihari smiled. "What about the boy from the kitchen who the princess is smitten with? You know, the one I told you about last night."

The king stroked his beard as he looked up at his flag flying in the wind. The king's standard (which always flew when he was in the castle) was light brown with a large, golden "G" in the middle of it. The silver numeral two (II), overlapped the "G". Above of the "G", was small golden Triforce. This was the format for most royal flags. It was Gengo's grandfather, King Laertes I, son of Zelda VI, who brought in the idea of monarchs having a personal flag. Laertes felt that his people had the right to know if their king/queen was in residence or not.

After reminiscing over the flag for a short while, the king replied. "She can't have the kitchen boy. I will not allow it. Her birthright will not allow it. This institution is as old as Hyrule itself. I will not allow her to ruin thousands of years of tradition by marrying a nobody!" the king watched as the polo players took their positions. "And I will not allow her to be like my old great grandmother, Zelda the Dreary. No secret lovers allowed!"

Mihari gave his king a most intrigued look at his last statement about Zelda VI. It was much like the look that one would get from a child who had just found out what their birthday present was. "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooh! Well, well, well, well, your majesty. So Zelda the Dreary was not that drab at all. She had skeletons in her closet, eh? Or should I say lovers?"

Gengo's face was grave. He knew he had said too much. The fact that Zelda VI had a lover was often speculated, yet behind closed doors, in the royal household it was a well known secret. Gengo was sworn to secrecy. He had not even told his own daughter, Zelda. But would he want to? Would she want to know? Would she even care about a lifelong fling of her ancestor? Perhaps this tale would sweep away any thought his daughter had of running away with the kitchen boy.


	5. The Note

_This chapter is dedicated to Will and Kate (The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) and their expected child (who I think is a girl). Congratulations! This news made my day, so I had to express myself. Here's hoping Kate is doing okay in the hospital and will have a quick recovery._

_Also, I apologize for the length on this chapter compared to others._

* * *

**Act 5: **The Note

I will skip ahead a bit in the story. You see, writing out a sporting match can be quite dull, and reading it can be even duller. What basically happened was Din and Farore were in first and second place when it came to their tallied points. This would mean, Farore would play Din for the chance to duke it out with a noble team for the King's Plate.

"Now gather around!" called one of the officials standing in front of a blackboard. "For the first time in years, Nayru will not be facing off against Din for the servant championship! Raking in an astounding, thirty five points, Farore house is in second place and will now play Din for the title and the chance to win the King's Plate!"

Another official screamed at the top of his lungs. "The House of Din versus the House of Farore! Match will start in fifteen minutes! Please be ready by then or you and your team will be disqualified!"

Princess Zelda looked out over her servants as they cheered and whistled. The three servant teams were lined up in three rows in front of the official at the chalkboard. She could see her kitchen boy, Link, smiling as his three teammates celebrated their small victory. _Congratulations Link! I knew you could do it!_

Zelda still couldn't figure out her attraction to the young man. It was not attraction, no it was not. It was more so that she was intrigued by him. Not the same intrigued one gets when they see an attractive person of the opposite gender, no. It was on par with the intrigued we get in our world from looking up at the moon. Why? Zelda assumed it was because Link was the only real "friend" she had ever had.

Link looked to where the princess was sitting and gave her a meek little wave and a shy smile before turning his attention back to his overjoyed teammates. It was a brief acknowledgement, but all the same, Link had remembered the royal eyes that were watching him.

Zelda rested her cheek on her hand and sighed. "I wish I had friends like that."

One of the princess' attendants spoke up after hearing her complaint. "Oh, your highness, you have many friends! Many, many, many dear friends!"

Zelda rolled her eyes and turned to face one of her lady attendants. "Oh? Name them."

The attendant wiped a bead of nervous sweat from her brow. "Well, um.. hehe, you have..."

"Nobody, that's who!" Zelda pouted as she shifted back in his seat.

"Tis not true my lady! You have Prince Heri, Duke Sala, Lord Tobias, Count Yan, Prince Kayo, Lord Quinn and-

"They're nothing but noble snobs who want the crown- suitors chosen by my father." Zelda replied sheepishly as the profiles of all six men floated through her mind's eye.

The attendant was silent for a moment before responding again. "Oh, your highness, you will make a fine queen one day whether you are married or not. Your highness is a very good judge of character."

Zelda sank down in her seat and continued to watch Link celebrate. "I suppose."

* * *

On the pitch it was a very different story. The Nayru team were kicking the ground in disappointment, but they didn't really seem to mind. They always lost to Din in the final round, so at least this time they were protected from humiliation.

The Din team was scoffing and scowling at the Farore boys. Every now and again they would throw out some trash talk or insult, classic Din house tactics.

Elsa, the Din captain, was shaking her head in disbelief as she led her team off the field. "Unbelievable. The underworld must have frozen over and the gods and goddesses must be falling from the heavens."

Link and his teammates were in a circle dancing around in excitement, even Finn bounced a little bit. They had a right to be happy after all. Farore had done poorly for some odd years, but this time, they had a chance to actually win it all.

"Way to be Link!" Algar nodded and patted the young blond on the back. "It's all because of you that we made it this far."

Link blushed a bit and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess. But I couldn't have done it all by myself. You guys were the reason I was able to score."

Nale smacked Link on the back with a lot of force, causing him to lose his balance. "Don't be modest, boyo! You deserve the praise!"

"Indeed." Finn added.

"I can't wait to take that smile off of Elsa's face when he beat her team into the ground!" Nale growled as Algar led the team off the field and towards the locker room.

The other three laughed at the remark wholeheartedly.

Zelda watched Link intently as he walked off the field and into the seclusion of the locker room. She turned to her attendant and waved gently "Portia, would you kindly bring me a piece of parchment, some ink and a quill? I have a note that needs to be written and delivered."

Her attendant bowed before taking her leave. "Yes, my lady."

* * *

"Congratulations to the Kakariko Boys on their win! They will be advancing to the next round! Most points were scored by none other than Captain Gordo! Next match between the Wranglers and the Doctors will begin shortly!"

Mihari scoffed. "'The Doctors'? Don't tell me even the medicine men are playing in your tournament, your majesty! They could have chosen a more... creative name, do you not agree?"

King Gengo shifted in his seat as he watched Gordo dismount his horse, remove his centurion style helmet and celebrate with his teammates. "Do you think Zelda and his children will have red hair or blonde hair?"

Mihari raised his eyebrows in surprise and stepped back a bit. "Your majesty, they have not even met yet. Are you not jumping the fence a little bit on this one? And probably blonde, red heads have weak genetics."

"Mihari, you're a trusted advisor and friend." Gengo whispered as he pulled out a handkerchief. "Could you please check on my daughter? I would hate for her to miss her future husband in action."

Mihari's shocked expression faded as he bowed. "But of course your majesty, I will do that now."

Gengo did not take his eyes off of Gordo as Mihari made his way out of the courtyard.

_The king is throwing a wrench into my plans. Gordo is perfect, Zelda is perfect, Link is perfect. But the old man is getting in my way. I fear that I will have to execute my plan prematurely if he does not play my game. _Mihari dusted off his arms as he made his way to the other courtyard.

* * *

"Hey Link, the princess was eyeing you up pretty heavily back there, ya?" Algar's voice chuckled away into the empty locker room as he nudged Link a bit.

Nale laughed obnoxiously. "Yeah, are you gonna pursue that? _Prince_ Link?"

Link's face went crimson in embarrassment. "She's the daughter of my employer, nothing more."

"Well, you've been waiting on her hand and foot for the last seven years!" Nale scoffed. "You're probably one of the only friends she has."

Link's offended glare turned into one of sadness as he took a sip from one of the glass bottles of water on the shelf. "She is very lonely..."

Algar raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and took a seat on one of the wooden benches. "And who could keep her from getting lonely at night? You could!"

Link coughed heavily, choking on his water in disbelief of what was being said.

Finn cleared his throat and he removed his hat. "Stop acting like a bunch of perverted fourteen year olds. The princess would never pursue a servant and you all know that. She was probably watching Link closely because he's one of her personal servants and she knows his face. Now stop with this frivolity and prepare yourselves for the upcoming match!"

Algar sighed and nodded slowly. "I suppose you are right. But can't you take a joke Finn? We were just playing with the new kid!"

Finn rolled his eyes as he crouched down and fixed his boot.

Link felt a huge amount of relief overcome him now that he was out of the spotlight. Link did not think of the princess in such a way, ever. He did not believe the princess felt that way either. It probably was a Finn said, Link was a familiar face and as such the princess tried to watch him the most.

* * *

Zelda sat perched in her temporary throne as she scribbled away on a piece of parchment. Mihari could see the heiress apparent in plain sight. He couldn't help but grin. _My, isn't she a pretty little thing._

Zelda looked up for a moment to see her father's rather creepy magician smiling at her from across the pitch. "What is he doing here?"

The spectator servants went from a loud chatter about the final match and how exceptionally beautiful their princess was that day, to deafening silence.

Mihari looked around sarcastically, flipped his hair and sighed. "Oh, please, hold your applause."

Fearing Mihari's inquiry, Zelda quickly finished her note, folded it up and handed it to her attendant. "Please deliver this to number 307 of the Farore team, and quickly."

The attendant nodded and then bowed before walking away with the note. "Yes, my lady."

The attendant scurried away towards the locker rooms before Mihari could reach Zelda. Mihari raised his eyebrows and gave the princess a surprised look as he watched the attendant run off. "My, my, what silly little game is the princess playing now?"

Zelda stood up as Mihari approached. "What is it?"

"Oh your highness has to be so serious." Mihari laughed and bowed dramatically. "A good queen you will be in time."

"Cut the act Mihari, tell me what you want." Zelda sighed as the magician came to her side.

Mihari licked his lips and leaned into Zelda's ear to whisper. "Your father is currently setting you up with a handsome young fellow from the desert. He asked me to check on his _sick _daughter because he did not want her to miss her future husband in action."

Zelda felt the blood rush out of her face as the magician's words tickled her ear. "What?"

"You heard me, your highness. Daddy dearest thinks he has selected your husband."

Zelda shook her head. "No, I refuse to get married. I'm not ready. I'm not old enough for that kind of thing! If I do marry, it will be for love!"

Mihari chuckled at the young princess's statement. "Well, tell him that."

Zelda looked out on the quiet crowd of servants anxiously before she turned to Mihari. "I-I have to watch the final match."

"Oh, is your kitchen boy playing? Is that it? How interesting. Perhaps he will play your future husband's team in the end." Mihari laughed as he clasped his hands together. "Oh, how very sweet it all is. A princess, her prince and her pauper. A match made in the high heavens, is it not?"

Zelda hissed at the magician's words. "What do you mean, _prince_?"

"Well, if you marry this sand monkey, he will be your prince, will he not?"

'Sand monkey', Zelda scowled at the derogatory term that was used to refer to people from the desert province. Shortly after the death of Zelda VI, King Laertes I, her eldest son, chose to colonize the desert in his mother's memory. Colonization was tough, living in Hyrule's 'badlands" was difficult, and it was very expensive on all ends of the spectrum, though Laertes pressed on with the idea. He blabbered on about something called the 'Cave of Ordeals' that the Hero of Twilight had cleared out long ago, and how they could have an underground empire in the cave's depths. This idea never grew into fruitarian and eventually as the hairs on Laertes' royal head greyed and fell out, the project had been abandoned. Though there were some who still lived in the desert. These people were viewed as foolish, foolish like monkeys. Therefore the term 'sand monkey' was developed.

"You will not use such language in my presents. Know your place, magician!" Zelda barked. She could feel her royal power pumping through her veins. "Such language is prohibited!"

"Spoken like a true monarch!" Mihari gasped and then bowed. "My most humble of apologies, my lady! I was just testing you."

The servants watched in awe as their princess showcased her influence. They had never seen the heiress in such a state of anguish. She did not scold Mihari like a little princess; she scolded him like a queen. You probably wonder what the difference is, no? Well the difference between a princess and a queen is like the difference between a small kitten a mighty lion.

Zelda stared menacingly at the magician. She did not understand her hatred for the so called 'performer', but something about him always made her upset. If she could have fired Mihari, she would have, but it was not her place. At that moment many of the servants held their breaths, thinking something would transpire between the two, but nothing happened. It was nothing more than a stare down. But like any stare down, more was said in one look, than in an argument between drunkards.

"Very well, I will tell your father that you will be in attendance at the finals. Please try to look sick when you see your father." Mihari sighed and bowed again. "I give you my leave."

Mihari had wanted to mention how he had helped the princess get away from her father for the afternoon, but he chose not to. He did not see it in his best interest. If he had gone and told the king that Zelda was lying, he would be under fire for 'falling for her tricks' and would probably be dismissed. So Mihari chose to be quiet.

Though Zelda had not said so, she knew that she would be going to the finals, especially since she had watched the servant teams up to this point. She also wanted Link's team to win it all.

* * *

There was a knock at the wooden door for the Farore locker room. "Delivery for 307."

The Farore boys perked up their ears at the woman's voice that was muffled through the door.

"Probably fan mail for the superstar." Algar sighed and laughed at his own joke as he looked at Link.

Finn stood up and answered the caller. The door opened with a loud screech from the rusty hinges. There stood one of the princess's attendants with a letter in her hands.

Link and the others stood at attention as the attendant spoke. "A message for 307, from her highness the Crown Princess herself."

Finn pursed his lips and nodded as he took the letter from the woman's hands and closed the door. There was a sudden silence as the purple haired scholar turned to face the rest of the team.

"Man, we were right Algar. The princess _does_ have a thing for Link." Nale gasped.

Finn shook his head as he handed the letter off to Link. "I don't think so. The princess would never send a letter of that sort via courier. Royals are far more discreet."

"How is sending a private letter not discreet?" Nale scoffed as he held out a clueless hand.

Finn rubbed his right temple and moaned. "You clearly have not studied Zelda the Sixth. Out of fear of being found out, she would deliver the letters in person."

"In person? Isn't that even more dangerous?" Algar laughed. "I think that Zelda the Sixth's affairs thing is a load of keese crap!"

Finn shook his head as they watched Link open the letter. "You don't understand. Zelda the Sixth was as intelligent and crafty as she was beautiful. She was a master of disguise."

"Oh yeah, because wearing a long black cloak is considered a _disguise_." Nale rolled his eyes sarcastically.

Finn shook his head again, like a fed up school teacher. "You know nothing."

Link ignored the banter of his teammates as he scanned over the note and read it in his head.

_Dear Link,_

_I would like to congratulate you and your team (but especially you) on your wins. I am very happy for you. I wish you the very best of luck in the final match against Din. I noticed that your teams have some sort of rivalry. I also noticed that as they tire, Din gets sloppy and makes foolish moves. Please keep this information in mind during your match. I do hope you and your team win the plate._

_Best of luck,_

_Zelda_

_P.S. _

_Watch out for Mihari. He's out here right now._

The fact that the princess signed the note as just 'Zelda', instead of 'Princess Zelda' or 'Zelda, Crown Princess of Hyrule' or some other formal title stood out to Link. She really did view him as her friend... her only friend.

Link looked up from the small piece of parchment and at his teammates.

"Well, what does it say?" Algar asked in excitement.

Link shrugged as he crumpled the letter in his hand and decided to cook up a lie. "Just some good luck wishes. She was sending them to all the teams, so we're not special."

Nale smiled cynically. "Well, let me read it! Or better yet, why don't you read it aloud?"

Before Link could answer, the trumpets blew outside. It was time for the final match. There was no time to argue or question anything. The four men stood up, nodded at each other and walked towards the locker room exit.

Link was the last one out. He quickly stuffed that crumpled up note into his boot before closing the door behind him.


	6. Smitten

**Act 6: **Smitten

The Farore boys marched out onto the field again to see the crowd in distress. The princess and her entourage were nowhere in sight nor was the Din team.

"What's going on here?" Algar questioned amongst the confusion.

Finn nudged Link and pointed at the officials who were in a panic. It appeared that they were trying to collect their thoughts and trying to come up with ideas of something to say to the crowd.

"I'm gonna ask them what's up." Nale stated firmly. "Where's Din?"

_Where's Zelda? _Link wondered as Nale stomped towards the officials.

Before Nale could reach them, the officials dispersed and one stepped forward as if he wanted to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, this match is canceled."

Link's eyes widened with the rest of the crowd. "What?"

"Canceled? What do you mean canceled?" a man's voice shouted.

"Yeah!" screamed a woman.

The crowd of servants continued to ask questions and rant on to each other before the official spoke again. "It looks like I have no choice. You will find out anyway. We cannot have a match if there are no players. The Din team has disappeared without a trace."

"Disappeared!?" Finn repeated under his breath.

Algar swallowed hard in amazement. "How is that... possible?"

Link's thoughts faded back to Zelda's note and how the disappearances happened soon after. _Was she warning me?_

"HA! I knew Elsa was all talk!" Nale crossed his arms in pride. "She ran away from a match! She knew she couldn't win!"

This of course was false courage. Nale was just as shocked and surprised as everyone else. Never before had a polo team disappeared right before a match. The fact that it was the Din team was even more shocking.

Link looked around in a frenzy at the panicking faces of his fellow servants. The domestic workers began shouting out theories and were now trying to leave the area. Everyone from the boot boy to the masseur were alarmed and afraid.

"It was that bastard Mihari!" hollered one of the groundskeepers.

There was silence.

"Oh please everyone was thinking it!" Nale added to support the groundskeeper.

"I say we kill the magician!" yelled the horse trainer. "He can't get all of us if we stick together!"

Link looked to where the officials once stood, they were now gone. "Now hang on just a second."

Finn rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he muttered. "We must warn the king..."

Algar caught wind of Finn's idea and blurted it out. "That's it! We should warn the king! Let us go to the other courtyard!" Algar then ran to the mallet rack, pulled one polo mallet from the wooden base and raised it to the sky like a general going to war.

"Here here!" cheered the crowd of servants in agreement.

"This will be the last time he messes with our kind!" hollered a female voice.

Link swallowed hard as crowds of servants came together and began to flank the small entrance that connected to the other courtyard. The servants had turned into an angry mob.

_This isn't going to be pretty! _Link then gridded his teeth in fear for what would happen next.

* * *

In the other courtyard King Gengo at spent his afternoon watching many noble teams play a sport which he was most fond of, polo. Not only this, he had also picked out the man whom he wanted his daughter, his only child and his only heir, to marry. Nothing could be more perfect for King Gengo.

Suddenly there was a loud ruckus coming from one of the entrances to the courtyard. The king raised his furry eyebrows as he (like many of the nobles) directed his attention to the entrance. He then turned to one of his advisors and whispered. "My, what is that awful noise?"

There was then a large array of diamond shapes twinkling in the air behind the king and near his advisors. A figure then formed from the diamonds, the king's magician, Mihari.

Mihari had a look of panic on his face as the king gave him a surprised look. "Your majesty! Your majesty! The servants! They're... they're... rioting!"

"What!?" Gengo gasped and then stood up quickly and stood tall. "Not in my castle they aren't!"

There was immediate hysteria among the nobles. The two teams that were playing a match had stopped and were now trying to run away. But not all the nobles were in a panicking frenzy, some had notice the king's change in attitude. It was a side many of the senior nobles had not seen in Gengo since his early years. For the first time in decades, Gengo was speaking like the true, powerful, absolute monarch that he was supposed to be.

Mihari furrowed his brow at the king's new stance. The king may have been old, obese, slightly crazy and easily influenced, but Mihari had not seen Gengo like this since the days of Deidre. This second wind worried Mihari, it gave him more reason to execute his plan sooner than expect.

"Where is my captain of the guard?" Gengo shouted.

"Right here, sir!" hollered a man from the other side of the pitch.

Gengo nodded to him. "Gather as many men as you can and use any formations you can to box them in! I want all of the rioting ones detained. Afterward, you and I shall come up with a suitable punishment."

"Yes sir!" shouted the captain as he disappeared.

Mihari crossed his arms as the initial shock set in. He stood soberly and gathered his thoughts before speaking. "Your majesty, perhaps it would be best to get you out of here and have you retire to your office? Then you can await the captain and privately conceive a proper plan."

Gengo stood still for a moment as he watched the nobles run away in all directions. No doubt he was looking for Gordo, the young man he wanted to be his son in-law, though he could not find the handsome ginger in the crowds.

Mihari noticed this and rolled his eyes. _What a coward._

Gengo then nodded to Mihari in agreement to his question. "Yes, let's go."

The magician smiled as he extended his gloved hand to the king. Gengo gripped Mihari's hand tightly and then nodded again. In the blink of an eye the two turned into an overwhelming wall of blinking yellow, black and white diamonds and then disappeared.

* * *

Link watched the last few servants rush into the entrance in awe until he was the only one left standing on the pitch. He blinked a few times, dumbfounded at his fellow servants before fixing his hat and gloves, turning around and then walking towards the Farore locker room.

But then Link found himself standing still in the centre of the field. With the horses back in their stables, there was the odd neigh in the distance. Link looked towards the entrance to the Din locker room and raised his eyebrows. He took a quick scan of the area to make sure he was alone before tiptoeing towards the door.

Link wanted to see the scene for himself. Link wanted to confirm this disappearance. Link wanted to make sure that there were no tricks being pulled by the Din team. He only wanted to hear his own footsteps hitting the stone floors of the hallways, but of course that was not meant to be.

* * *

Link entered the locker room, and saw absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. This locker room had separate changing areas for males and females since Din had both sexes as players. Link investigated both areas and saw some extra clothing hung up on hooks and on the ground, it looked a lot like his own locker room.

Link stood alone in the women's change room and sighed and the fact that there were no clues. No, it wasn't the women's change room. It did not belong to multiple women. Elsa was the only one who used the change room, and it showed.

Suddenly Link heard the clicking and tapping of very strong footsteps coming from the other side of the door. Link panicked and soon found himself climbing into the small closet in the women's changing area.

Then the door creaked open and the footsteps continued. Link could not see the individual at first be he slowly shifted around to see through one of the vents in the closet door, and then had a better view.

Link let out a small gasp as he saw Princess Zelda herself creeping around and examining some of the left behind items. _What is she doing here? Cleaning up laundry or something? Isn't there someone hired to do that?_

Zelda then turned her attention to the closet that had one of its doors slightly ajar. Link's heart raced as the princess quickly grabbed the handle and tried to get the door to open. Little did the heiress know, Link was on the other side trying to keep the door closed by pulling one of the hooks on the inside of the door.

"Why won't it open!?" Zelda growled as she tried to pull with all of her strength. Link was trying to keep the door shut, and was now realizing that the fragile looking princess was a lot stronger than she looked. "It's as if someone is trying to keep it closed on the other side!"

_Goddesses! She's an animal! _Link gridded his teeth, not sure of how much long her could hold on.

Suddenly the hinges on the door began to break off and eventually Link and Zelda found themselves fighting over a door that was not bound to anything. It was as if they were playing a sick game of tug-of-war. Zelda then noticed the tips of brown, dirtied boots on the other side of the door. There was indeed someone on the other side of the door trying to keep it closed.

Zelda then took one last heave before let go of her door handle. Link flew backwards inside the wardrobe and slide down out onto the floor to Zelda's surprise.

Zelda cupped her hands in front of her face finally realizing that it was the kitchen boy all along. She rushed to Link's side in assistance. Zelda seem genuinely worried about Link and if he was injured.

Link looked up at the princess and noticed how the light from the locker room's flickering candles gave her a goddess-like presents. "Wow..."

"Are you okay?" Zelda gasped as she threw the cheap wooden door aside and grabbed Link's right arm in concern.

Link frowned. "Oh, ow, ow! My ribs!"

Zelda gasped in shock. "Oh no, this is all my fault! I have to get you a doctor!"

Link grabbed the princess's hand and grinned like a cheeky court jester. "Just kidding."

The princess frowned at the joke, not pleased with it in any way. Of course, no one dared to play pranks on the princess and no one ever really joked with her either, so she was slightly blind when it came to such tomfoolery. It took Link a minute to realize this. He still couldn't believe he had done such a thing to the princess in the first place.

_What was I thinking!? Why did I do that? _Link darted his eyes around a bit nervously as he stood up to face the princess.

After being repulsed at the antic for a moment, Zelda finally spoke up. "What are you doing here?"

This boldness caught Link off guard. "Well... I... um... er. I could ask you the same thing, your highness. It is not safe for you to be wandering around down here after such events."

Zelda gave Link a sarcastic look. "You don't have to try to sound artsy in front of me, Link. No one is going to hear you and I really do get sick of it. And I believe I asked you first, no?"

Link looked down at Zelda's flat shoes for a moment, finding himself unable to look the princess in the eye. "I wanted to investigate."

"Investigate what?" Zelda asked. She sounded truly interested.

"These disappearances." Link explained as he played with his hands, hoping the princess didn't think of him as foolish.

Zelda looked around cautiously. "Want to know a secret? That's why I'm here too."

Link's eyes widened. "What?"

And so, Zelda told Link her suspicions and he told her his. It turns out that they shared a common denominator; Mihari had something to do with it all. What he was doing was unknown. How he was doing it was unknown. How he was getting away with it was also unknown.

Zelda told Link of her dislike for the magician and Link told her of Mihari's unpopularity among the servants.

"I was hoping to find some clues in here that would help pin Mihari for it all. No one can prove what he's done, but I just know in my heart that he's at the bottom of this." Zelda divulged as she placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "I have a lot of alone time, so I spend it researching these disappearances. As soon as I think I've found a pattern, the whole thing turns upside down and I have to start again."

Link nervously looked at the princess's delicate hand that rested on his shoulder. Link was again touching royalty. A bead of sweat dripped down Link's brow as he tried to come up with the words to say. "If someone finds us here there'll be trouble, your highness."

Zelda gave Link a knowing stare as she removed her hand from his shoulder. "You're trying to get rid of me?"

Shaking his head viciously and flailing his arms around Link replied. "No! No it's not like that at all! It's just... I could be burned at the stake just for being alone with you if I'm not on duty."

Zelda furrowed her brow. "Not as long as I have something to say about it. Don't worry, no one will find us. It's not like we were doing something inappropriate or anything."

Link felt his face burn up, and it wasn't from the candle light. "Wha?"

Zelda smiled softly. "But I suppose you are right. We should get going. There will be guards down here to investigate soon."

The young princess then turned away towards the door that lead to the castle hallways. Before she began her trek back to who knows where, she stopped herself and spoke one last time. "I don't think it would be wise for you to go the same way as me. Perhaps you should take another way? Through your own locker room, perhaps?"

Link respectfully removed his hat and watched the princess scurry to the dungeon like door, open it slowly and then close it behind herself. Link then let out a sigh and a nodded before turning to the door that he had come in from, the one that led to the polo pitch. From there he would return to his locker room and get into the castle from the door in there.

Link stood in the Din locker room for another five minutes staring intensely at the door that the princess had exited through. He was still holding his hat in his hands, and nervously rubbing his gloved, sweaty palms on it. When he finally placed the hat back on his head and got ready to leave, he didn't even think about the sweat stains that plagued the green fabric. What he thought about was his princess.

* * *

King Gengo now sat in his office in front of the fireplace, nervously stroking his white beard. Mihari had safely delivered the king to his private office, as promised.

Mihari stood behind his king with his hands behind his back with a very worried expression on his face. "Would you like me to do anything, your majesty? Perhaps check on the progress of the guards?"

Gengo did not reply, but only continued to stroke his beard.

"Maybe I could make you some tea?" Mihari suggested as he licked his lips like a snake. "I find it calms the nerves."

Still no reply from the king.

Mihari sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Listen, your majesty, you acted as a true monarch back there in the courtyard. I have never seen you in such a way in decades. It was truly marvelous. But now here you are staring into the oblivion of an unlit fireplace, as if all life has left you."

Gengo exhaled heavily and looked at his magician. "You really think so?"

"Oh, your majesty, I _know _so!" Mihari bowed. His snow white hair flipped down like an old towel. "So, about that tea? Hm?"

Gengo smiled lightly and nodded. "Tea it is. Brew yourself a cup too."

"As you wish..." Mihari bowed again before snapping his fingers and dissolving into diamonds. Mihari tried his hardest not to reveal his beaming smile to the king.

* * *

Link snuck out into the halls of the castle, still dressed in his polo outfit. He was so nervous that he had forgotten to change back into his normal servant clothes.

Link figured it would be best to go to the kitchen, as that was where his job was an all. Link also secretly wanted to see Zelda again, to discuss the disappearances of course, well that and he had suddenly become somewhat attracted to the princess after their little run-in. This struck Link as odd because any time before this he had only seen Zelda as the heiress to the throne and his master. Perhaps it was the fact that they were alone? Perhaps it was the princess's naive nature towards jokes? Perhaps it was how the flickering candles accented her features? Perhaps it was how she spoke to him as if he was her most trusted confidant? Whatever it was, Link was now somewhat smitten with his princess. He knew this would probably only be a one sided deal and that such a relationship would be impossible, not to mention highly illegal.

So Link went to the kitchen and as soon as he got there he saw Mihari with a few of the chefs. Link could overhear Mihari speaking firmly to the chefs.

One of the chefs turned and saw Link. "Oh there he is! There's 307 right there!"

Mihari glanced at Link and then opened his arms dramatically. "Oh, 307! Order from the big boy upstairs! He wants tea. I have taken the liberty of preparing it for delivery! So do not worry about waiting for it to steep."

Link gave the magician and odd look. Usually Mihari made and then delivered the tea personally, but not this time.

Mihari slapped his forehead dramatically. "Oh, please tell the king that I am terribly sorry for not bringing the tea as promised. You see, something came up. Some crazy servants were rioting about something and I told the king I would oversee the operation on his behalf. I realized sooner is better than later, so our tea time got in the way." Mihari then handed Link a tray with a single mug, a small bun and a knife on it. "Here you go. Just the way the king likes it! Try not to spill it."

Link looked down at the cup of tea. There was a strange bubbling coming from it. "Uhm... are you sure this is the right one?"

Mihari stood close to Link (to the point of it being uncomfortable) and looked down at the tea cup. "Oh you mean those bubbles? Oh no, that is just the medication he has to take reacting with the milk. I put the medication in the tea because it is the only way that stubborn man will take it. Don't worry the bubbling goes down after a minute or two."

Link stared down at the tea uncomfortably for another moment before nodding and then stepping away from Mihari. "Okay, leave it to me."

Mihari smiled and waved as the kitchen walked away. "Oh and do apologize for me! Just tell him what I told you. He'll understand."

Link did not say another word as he exited the kitchen and began his trek toward the east tower, where the king's private office was located.

As the door closed and the chefs dispersed, Mihari's smile grew even wider.


	7. Princess to Queen

**Act 7: **_**Princess to Queen**_

King Gengo stared into the now crackling fires in his fireplace. In his time sitting there he thought of very little for his thoughts kept returning to his misjudgement on Gordo. The thought of that coward marrying Zelda made his skin crawl. Perhaps Mihari was right. Perhaps he should give the kitchen boy a chance if that is what made Zelda happy.

The door creaked open behind him. "Mihari, what took you so long?"

Link froze in place. He felt his entire body lock up. All he could think about was the number of times the king had shouted at him when he was a little boy.

"Mihari?" the king's voice enquired. "What are you doing?"

Link looked down at the little cup of tea and swallowed hard. He felt his eyes widen as if he were some kind of fish. His knees weakened and knocked together, and it wasn't from the long walk to the king's office that caused this either.

Slowly but surely, Link moved his feet and found himself standing next to the king's large, red armchair. He slowly lowered the tray to the king's side without saying a word. The old king then took the mug by the handle and didn't do as much as look up at Link.

"Ah, thank you Mihari. You can go now." The king mumbled before taking a sip.

Link was dumbfounded. His job had been far too easy this time. "Ah..." he tried.

Gengo sat up straight, noticing the different voice. "What's the matter Mihari? Are you ill?"

Link's heart was pounding at this point. But he swore he felt it stop as soon as Gengo turned around to face him.

"What the hell? What are you doing here!?" the king barked. "Where's Mihari?"

"He-he was busy, so he sent me instead. Besides, I was supposed to be serving your meals." Link bowed his head in fear of the king's rage.

Link could hear Gengo cracking the knuckles in his right hand while still holding the mug in his left. "You're that kitchen boy my daughter is gawking over, aren't you? Aren't you!?"

Link felt hints of red beginning to pang in his face. "Uhm... excuse me, your majesty?"

"Yes, Mihari told me all about you and my daughter. Well, it's not happening buster! Keep dreaming!" Gengo roared as he took another sip of tea. "I have in fact found the perfect husband for her! Yes, he's perfect!"

Gengo of course was not referring to anybody, because he no longer had anybody for his daughter. This was just a desperate attempt by a doting father to get rid of a boy he didn't want near his daughter.

"Uhm... sir, your majesty, I can assure you that I have no such interest in your daughter." Link shook his head wildly as he tucked the tray under his arm, dropping the bun and knife to the floor. He knew this was now a lie, because just moments before he had realized that he had a thing for the princess. "Please believe me, sir."

The king frowned. "Just get out of here, would you? And stay away from her!"

Link did not take the time to think twice, he had jogged to the door and left as fast as he possibly could.

For another moment the king was alone to himself in his office. He faced the fireplace again and shook off the encounter.

Suddenly Mihari, the magician materialized out of a slew of diamond shapes behind the king's chair. He was quiet as he approached the king who appeared to be lost in thought again as he sipped his tea and peered at the burning log in the hearth.

The knife that Link had dropped onto the floor began to float in the air and it slowly flew into Mihari's right hand. Mihari then grinned as he began to walk up behind the old king (who still was not aware of the magician's presence).

Gengo shifted in his chair and sighed. "If only I could make Zelda see that I only look out for her interests."

Mihari stopped just behind the king's chair and his smile grew. It was an interesting choice in last words in Mihari's mind.

As the king took one last sip of tea, Mihari put the knife to King Gengo's throat and licked his lips. Gengo dropped the tea on the floor and gasped. The cup shattered as his hands reached up and grabbed on Mihari's arm, trying to pry the magician's cold grip away.

Mihari shot his tongue out in front of the king and then laugh as the old king continued the struggle.

"MIHARIIIIII!" Gengo cried out. "What are you doing!? I order you to stop this at once!"

"No. I cannot do that, your pathetic majesty. You see, if I let you go now, you will have me hunted and hanged by dawn." Mihari sighed. "Oh, and before I do this, I want to you to know. My name is not Mihari, it is Ghirahim, and I am here to do one thing and one thing only. I am here to take your kingdom so my master will have a place to call home."

"What?" Gengo's eyes widened right before Mihari did one strong slash through the king's throat.

The king bled out and in his last moments raised his hands to his throat, as if trying to stop the bleeding. He made loud gagging and coughing noises, all of which, Mihari smiled at.

Mihari then dropped the bloody knife on the floor next to the bun and watched the king fall out of his red chair onto the floor dead. Mihari then stood there for a moment and stared at the king's corpse, to make sure he was indeed dead.

Mihari chuckled to himself as he gently kicked the body. "That took far too long. It was definitely not a new record."

With a snap of his fingers Mihari turned into a wall of diamonds and disappeared, leaving the dead king to lie alone in his spilt tea and crimson blood on the cold floor in front of the fireplace, for someone else to discover.

* * *

"The king is dead. Long live the queen." Called the heralds on every street corner.

Yes, here we are again my friend, right where this story started. The king is dead. Zelda would be queen. The only thing left to do would be capturing the one who was responsible for the king's death.

There had been reports of Link running away from the king's office, and even a few of the chefs stated that Link had gone to deliver the king's tea around the time of the king's death. The doctors and knights had pinpointed that the murder weapon was the bloody knife on the floor, which was on the tray that Link had carried the king's tea on.

There were suspicions of Mihari possibly being the murderer, but he _of course _was overseeing the detained servants, so that lead was debunked (or so they thought).

Mihari had in fact gone to see the guards who had detained the rioting servants and spoken to them about the punishment. At some point Mihari said he had to check on something and would return, but none of the guards had any clue as to what time that was. All they said was that he was very quick to return. Gordo, the king's favourite, had in fact been in the dungeon and helping the guards the whole time. He also confirmed this.

Hearing of her father's death, Zelda dropped to the floor in tears and agreed to give temporary control of the situation to Mihari. Why? Well, in times when so much is thrown at you, you tend to just go with everything because you're trying to cope. This was what Zelda did. She wanted to be alone and had stated that she would choose the fate of the criminal when the time came.

Link (the only suspect) was captured and detained by the royal guard by sunset and would be tried for treason. I suppose 'tried' isn't the correct term. It was more like, await Zelda's conviction.

Link expected to be executed for a crime did not commit and he told his story to anyone who would listen. But alas, no one believed him. The people of Hyrule were convinced it was the kitchen boy. It could not have been anyone else.

* * *

Two weeks after the king's death and five days after his funeral, Zelda prepared for her coronation. "Queen Zelda the Seventh." No matter how many times she said it, it just didn't sound right to her. Zelda would be made queen of a nation at 17. Her father was eleven years older than she was when he came to power, and her grandfather was almost three times her age.

Being so young and ascending the throne, Zelda had her critics, hell, she agreed with them.

"A child on the throne will only toy with matters. An adult on the throne will handle matters." They would often say.

Zelda knew she wasn't ready to be queen, she was too young. That added with the fact that her father had not taught her a whole lot about being a monarch only equaled Zelda's nervousness.

But all the same many people welcomed the change of monarchs. People had grown tired of Gengo and some were happy that he had died. Some people hailed Link as a hero for saving them from boredom.

In the days leading up to Zelda's coronation, gossips explained how boring Gengo was after his wife died and how happy the kingdom was that his lovely daughter would be the queen. Many hoped Zelda was like her mother, the mother she barely knew.

Zelda spent her days in her office (her father's office), signing papers and reading over documents that had to do with the reception that was to be held in the great hall after her coronation.

The chefs needed to know what dishes the queen wanted served to her guests and how many courses there were going to be. The gardeners had to know which flowers to pamper and pick from the royal gardens to give to the florists for decorations. The musicians had to know which musical selections the queen wanted to be played. The knights needed to know what uniforms to wear so they could match with the colour scheme of the hall. The jesters needed to know what kind of jokes they could tell. The royal entourage (who only cared about themselves) needed to know where they were to be seated. The list went on and on.

Zelda couldn't believe she had to make all of these decisions herself. She thought she could have hired a party planner, but apparently that was not the case. Everything had to be selected and approved by the future queen, since it was her special night.

Zelda found herself up late at night, sitting in her father's desk with her head in her hands. There were still stacks of papers that needed her attention. There were a number of visitation invitations from outside (and usually far away) kingdoms. Zelda discard most of them, because she did not trust outer kingdoms and empires. She knew that as soon as she left, they would launch an attack to take control of Hyrule.

Mihari watched the princess from afar, often updating her on the status of her father's murder case and the current headlines the heralds in the streets were shouting. If Zelda disapproved of any of the news making topics, she would order Mihari to take care of it. Mihari was proving quite useful, and Zelda began to realize why her father kept the shifty magician around. He was less of an entertainer, and more of a life manager. If something needed to be done quickly and efficiently, Zelda began to turn to Mihari for assistance instead of her advisors.

"Your highness, perhaps you should get some sleep. You will have many more sleepless nights to come when you are queen." Mihari laughed lightly as he appeared in the darkened doorway.

Zelda continued to scratch away on the parchment with her feather pen. Without looking up at the magician she replied. "I will not procrastinate my duties. I may not yet be queen, but I need to at least act like one until it is official. Besides, I strongly dislike relying on you."

Her last sentence stung in Mihari's ear. If words could be laced with venom, those words would be overflowing with it. He had thought he had won her trust, but apparently that was not so. Though he did much for her, she did not really care for him. Mihari feared that she would have him 'relieved of duty'.

Mihari straightened his stance and locked up his knees. "Your highness does not trust me?"

Zelda stopped writing, but continued to blankly stare down at the paper on the desk. "I don't like you Mihari. You've known that for a while I assume. I am grateful for all that you try to do for me, but I am growing tired of your yes-man attitude. I am growing tired of you."

Mihari's eyes widened with anger. _Brat!_

"Now get out of here. You are dismissed." Zelda waved him away and began writing again.

Mihari did not leave. He licked his lips and narrowed his eyes like a predator looking at weakened prey. "What will it take to earn your trust?"

"It would take the golden goddesses to cry tears of pain from the heavens and drown out the depths of hell for me to trust you."

"Very well then," Mihari said nothing more on the topic as he nodded before turning to leave. "Get some rest your highness, for tomorrow you will be queen."

* * *

Link of course heard the news of Zelda's coming coronation from gossiping guards while he was dodging rats in the dungeon. Zelda would make her decision as to what to do with him after she was crowned. Link knew it would be one of the first things she would do as well.

Link thought about how he just wanted to see Zelda and tell her his side of the story. She'd listen, right? Many of the guards got tired of Link explaining his so called 'lies' to them time and time again.

Link thought about how pretty Zelda would look on the day of her coronation. This was something he tried not to do, especially because he was expecting to be a headless corpse by the next week after Zelda signed his execution document, but he couldn't help himself. Ever since that day in the Din locker room with the flickering candles, Link could not shake his newly found affection for the princess. Perhaps a locker room wasn't the most romantic place to fall in love, but it worked for Link. No, it wasn't even love. It was a petty crush he had on the princess, wasn't it? Perhaps over the years of service, Link had already developed a profound fondness for the heiress apparent, but he had not realized it until that day.

* * *

So the day came for Zelda's coronation. Many onlookers watched as the young princess scaled the few stone steps up to the temple. A long, crimson, velvet robe with a 25 foot long train trailed behind her every step. The robe was worn over her simple pink gown.

Zelda had had her hair styled after the last Queen Zelda, her great, great grandmother, Zelda VI. Without ever even meeting the woman, Zelda felt close to her great, great grandmother, but she couldn't define why. Perhaps she learned more in those moments of admiring her portrait, than she ever learned from her father. It was not like the dead queen had taught anything to the young princess. But I suppose it was in front of this picture that Zelda did most of her deep, reflective thinking and as such it was where she sorted out all of her problems.

The temple opened up and inside there was representatives from each race and province. The Zoras had sent their king, Ralis and some of his entourage. The Gorons sent a few of their elders. There were some folks from the desert, Kakariko and Ordon as well, among others.

Zelda could feel her heart pounding out of her chest, yet she held her sober composure. If her father had taught her anything, it was how to keep a straight face.

Zelda reached the altar and kneeled down on her right knee and bowed her head as one of the high priests stepped forward and held out his hands to the young princess. Zelda then looked up and took the priest's hands but remained kneeling.

The temple fell silent as the priest smiled at Zelda warmly and then cleared his throat.

"Good luck my child." The priest nodded before beginning the ceremony.

Zelda's eyes wandered over to the purple, jewel encrusted, velvet crown on the table beside the priest as she whispered. "Thank you."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we gather here today in the eyes of the goddesses to shepherd in a new monarch and begin a glorious new era in the history of Hyrule. Of course, to give Hyrule a new life, there had to be a death." The priest began. "Her highness, the Crown Princess of Hyrule has accepted her duty as the new leader of our people. This feat in itself should be recognized, for it is no easy task to go from a princess to a queen in such a short amount of time."

_You're telling me. _Zelda breathed deeply and closed her eyes.

"This young lady will become a great leader. There is no doubt that the goddesses guide her in her campaigns now, and they will forever more do so in the future, as she becomes Hyrule's Protector of the Faith." The priest let go of Zelda's hands and turned around.

'Protector of the Faith' was a title held by the monarch. It had many meanings. Some were simple, others confusing. Some of the most popular meanings were that it was a title held by the one who would carry the faith of their people. Another meaning was the one who would protect Hyrule's religion (faith) in the goddesses.

Zelda began to feel her leg falling asleep from kneeling for so long. She opened her eyes to see the priest holding a small bowl of water. _Water from Lake Hylia that has been blessed, no doubt._

"I would ask that everyone to please close their eyes and bow their heads. Princess Zelda, would you please just close your eyes."

Zelda closed her eyes as the rest of the witnesses complied with the priest's wishes.

The priest chanted something in ancient Hylian as he dipped his fingers in the water and drew a Triforce on Zelda's forehead. He then muttered "In the name of the Triforce, goddesses make this girl a queen."

The priest then put the bowl down on the table beside him. Zelda then opened her eyes. She couldn't take her eyes off of the purple crown on the pillow.

The priest took one of Zelda's hands in his own and made her stand. "Your Royal Highness, Princess Zelda, Crown Princess of Hyrule, daughter of King Gengo the Second and Queen Deidre, will you now become queen with the goddesses as your witnesses?"

"I will." Zelda nodded. Her voice was shaky for a moment. She continued to look back the crown.

"Very good." The priest nodded back and let go of her hand again. He then stroked his white beard, trying to remember what to do next. "Please kneel again."

This reminded Zelda of her father. So much so, she tried not to cry. She may have disliked how her father treated her at times, but she still loved him. She wanted her father to be there to see her become queen. She still needed guidance.

Zelda kneeled down on both knees this time as the priest produced a green book and held it out in front of her."Please place your left hand on the book and your right hand over your heart."

Zelda did just that. She knew all the witnesses were watching closely, so she knew she could not screw this part up.

"Now, repeat after me." The priest ordered. "I, Zelda, the current Crown Princess of Hyrule, vow to dedicate my life, whether it is long or short, to the service of the goddesses, the country and the people."

Zelda inhaled as she tried to remember what the priest said. "I, Zelda, the current Crown Princess of Hyrule, vow to dedicate my life, whether it is long or short, to the service of the goddesses, the country and the people."

Zelda felt like a sword just went straight through her heart after she said that. She knew the vows were up next.

"Very good." The priest smiled. "And do you, Zelda, Crown Princess of Hyrule, promise to always be fair, just, honourable and forthcoming in your duties?"

Zelda's voice cracked as she replied. "Yes..."

The vows went on for another hour, all of which Zelda replied with a sheepish "yes".

Zelda felt like she was ready to fall over from kneeling of the stone steps for such a long time. But eventually the time came for her crowning.

The priest raised the purple, jewel encrusted crown to the heavens and chanted in ancient Hylian before shouting. "To the goddesses of Hyrule, I present to you, Her Majesty Zelda the Seventh, by the Grace the Triforce, Queen of Hyrule and its colonies and Protector of the Faith."

Zelda felt the figurative sword only plunge deeper into her heart after hearing the priest announce her full title. She looked up for a moment to see the crown almost glowing in the priest's hands.

The priest then held the crown over the top of Zelda's head and shouted again. "To the north, south, east and west, I present to you, your undoubted queen, Zelda the Seventh of Hyrule."

He then lowered the crown onto Zelda's head and gently let go after it had snuggly fit. Zelda felt the crown clamp down on her head and she knew that it was final. Like a glove that fits a hand, the crown fit her head.

Zelda then rose up and nodded to the priest before turning around to face the witnesses. She was met by the captain of the guard, who was bowed down and presenting the unsheathed Ordon Sword to her with his palms facing up.

The captain of the guard shook nervously as the new queen gave the sword a look of wonder. "The Ordon Sword, crafted as a gift by the master swordsman of Ordon Village in the Twilight Era. Wielded by the Hero of Twilight to vanquish evil. Eventually presented to the royal family as a sign of liberty, justice, strength and how the will of the good will always triumph over evil. It has witnessed many battles and been on the side of many monarchs, and now it will protect a new sovereign. The royal guard wishes to present this blade to her majesty, the queen."

Zelda nodded to him before grabbing the hilt of the blade and slowly raising it to the ceiling. The light reflected off of the tip of the blade and caused it to shine brightly. There was then a mighty roar of cheering from outside of the temple. The deed was done. Zelda was now queen, and Link was at her mercy, and Mihari couldn't have been happier.

* * *

_**I like reviewers! Lovely reviewers! They make me happy when skies are grey! I do not drink beer, and I do not know you. But pretty please, review this anyway. **_**(To the tune of "You are my Sunshine").  
This is code for REVIEW IT! I want feedback! :D**


	8. Memories of Yesterday

_**(A/N: If you have questions about the story (ie. Why things are the way they are), all will be answered in time. Any confusion you have will die another day. –Infamous 12/12/12)**_

* * *

**Act 8: **_**Memories of Yesterday**_

And so there was a party, a grand old party, in the new queen's honour. In the simplest terms, everyone was good and drunk... except Zelda, Mihari and a handful of others.

Zelda merely sipped away at a glass of water and a very small glass of Vidish wine (which she did not finish). She found herself sitting in the centre of the head table, taking small sips of whatever beverage she pleased and watching everyone else dance the night away.

The new queen appeared to be lost in thought and slightly aloof. Mihari saw his chance and decided to capitalize on this.

Mihari made his way across the hall, through the crowds and dancing people and to the front of the young queen's head table. He then bowed gracefully "Your majesty, would you care to dance?"

Zelda, who was now resting her chin in her hands, raised her eyebrow and looked down at the magician. She said nothing.

"It would be a true honour!" Mihari remained in his bowing stance.

The young queen sighed and rolled her eyes. She decided to humour the dark magician. After all, he had helped her out quite a bit in recent days. "Very well, Mihari."

She stood up and slowly walked to where Mihari was standing. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing. The drunken nobles stopped dancing. The old aristocrats stopped gossiping. The knights stopped their slouching. The musicians stopped playing their happy tunes. All eyes were on the queen at that moment.

Mihari extended one of his white gloved hands to the queen and smiled like a fisherman would stare at his prized catch of the day. Zelda returned the smile with a small, sarcastic smirk.

Zelda was repulsed by the magician. That much was true. Dancing with him would be nauseating. But you see, dearest reader, royals are very good actors. They are the definition of the phrase 'grin and bear it'.

Mihari's hands were cold. One rested gently on Zelda's lower back, and the other was holding onto Zelda's hand. Zelda lightly placed one hand on Mihari's shoulder and then nodded to the musicians to begin playing their music.

And so the musicians did so. They began to play the 'Song of Storms' and like clockwork, Mihari began to spin Zelda around. Everyone else watched as the magician spun around in space with the queen. Eventually others began to dance around them. Soon, most of the people in the room were dancing in a similar fashion.

Mihari bent down into Zelda's ear and began to whisper. "I thought this would be the best way to speak with you about the current status of your father's murder case."

Zelda's eyes widened as the magician's words tickled her ear. He was right. The most private way to speak would be while dancing among the guests. She said nothing, but Mihari knew she was listening.

"I have taken it upon myself to have your execution documents scribed. I would like you to know that they are stacked neatly on your desk, in your office in the east tower, awaiting the royal signature and seal of approval." Mihari murmured as he continued to spin Zelda around. "I realize you dislike me helping you out, but you must understand that it is in my nature to help the monarch. It is what I have been doing for most of my life."

Zelda chuckled. "You know Mihari, in all the years that I have known you; I have never seen you do one magic trick. You might as well be an advisor."

"Well, one might say that I do things so efficiently as if it were magic. That's what your father use to say, anyway." Mihari replied.

Zelda frowned as her thoughts returned to her father's demise. "I have yet to be informed of who the murderer is, you know."

Mihari furrowed his brow as he tried to construct his reply. He continued to spin around with the queen. "My, you poor thing. No one has informed you? Well I suppose, you have not asked. My dear, it was a kitchen boy, 307."

Zelda immediately recognized the number of her kitchen boy, Link. She felt like there was a rock in her windpipe as soon as Mihari's seductive voice revealed who the 'murderer' was. "Impossible."

"Oh, you poor thing." Mihari shook his head. "You have no idea what was truly going on in that boy's brain. He's a very disturbed individual. He wanted to run away with you. The king would never allow it, so he killed him. He thought that as soon as the king was dead that you would be easy pickings. He was trying to blame me, said some nonsense about your father's special medicated tea. Well, we all know his majesty was murdered with a knife."

"No." Zelda could feel the tears welling up in her troubled eyes. "I don't believe you."

"Ask any of the guards who interrogated him. This is what was in the report. I promise you, I am telling the truth." Mihari sighed. "I would never lie to the sovereign."

Zelda held back her heartbroken tears. She didn't understand why she was going to cry. Was it because it was the kitchen boy, who she saw as her only friend that allegedly killed her father? Was it because her trust in her only friend had been thrown out the window? Was it because, somewhere deep in her heart, she cared for the kitchen boy, and now she would have to put him to death? Was she crying because she believed Link had been wrongly convicted? I could not tell you that. But I could tell you that at that moment, Mihari felt an overwhelming amount of pride, for he had just fooled the queen.

The song ended, Mihari released his hold on the queen as she rushed out of the hall and towards the east tower. She sobbed lightly as she crashed through the tall doors and sprinted through the mighty halls of the castle.

Mihari shook his head as all eyes in the room fell upon him. "Poor child couldn't handle that damn Vidish wine."

* * *

Link spent his evening in the dungeon of course. Many of the rioting servants had been released without punishment. After some words of encouragement from his fellow teammates, Link was again alone to his own thoughts.

They say a man's mind is a dangerous thing, especially when he is alone to his own devices. When one is alone in their thoughts, they tend to dwell and eventually descend into madness. Link was not there yet, but he was well on his way.

_I didn't kill the king! I didn't kill the king! Did I? No I didn't! It was Mihari! It had to have been! It had to have been that strange bubbling tea he made me serve the king! How many times have I told the guards that and they just laughed? It's as if I don't know something. _Link watched a small mouse scurry across the damp stone floor.

He had removed his polo uniform, and in its place, wore old brown, baggy prisoner clothes. He hadn't bathed or done any other hygienic rituals since he had been detained. He was beginning to grow a dark blond beard on his once clean shaven face. His hair was a mess and his breath was horrible.

He only ate twice a day; old bread and watered down mead. He often spent his time in the corner in the fetal position with his eyes fixated on the small flickering light that came from a distant window.

In his cell he slept. In his cell he ate. In his cell he thought. In his cell, he remembered.

He sat and would think about every second, every footstep, every thought he had lived through in those moments leading up to the king's demise. He knew he was not guilty. But no matter how he spun the tale in his head, he doubted himself. Perhaps had he not entered the kitchen at that time, Mihari would not have sent him to deliver the king's bloody tea? Perhaps had he just said 'no' to Mihari, he would not be facing his possible death?

Link slammed the back of his head against the cold stone wall. The rocks in the wall dripped and drizzled small streams of water onto Link's head. This was bathing at its finest in the dungeon. He sat and recalled every time he had served Zelda, the queen and he hoped that she would find it in her heart the decency to let him be free.

Link looked up to the darkened ceiling and closed his eyes. He could hear the little pitter-patters of the feet of rats echoing through the bowels of the dungeon. There were horrible screams of pain coming from the torture chamber that rested beneath the holding area where Link and a few others sat, awaiting their punishment.

Link focused on his breathing at first, he tried to slow it down as he blocked out everything. Everything from the drunken, card playing guards down the hall that let out the odd burp every now and again and rambled on about how they got stuck on dungeon duty while the rest of the kingdom was celebrating, to the rattling of shackles and chains from the surrounding prisoners in their own cells.

At some point, the young man had lulled himself to sleep. And in his sleep he escaped to his dreamland, a place where he could be free from his prison.

* * *

_A much younger Link wandered the halls of Hyrule's grand castle. He saw a little blonde girl, who had to have been around his age, peeking out from behind one of the stone staircases._

"_Hey, can I hide here for a while?" the little blonde girl asked. She may have been about 8 years old. "I'm trying to hide from my dad."_

_Link -who was exploring the servant passages of the castle- merely nodded at her._

"_What's your name?" she quickly asked in a whispering tone._

"_Link." He replied._

"_Pardon me?"_

"_Link." He cleared his throat and tried to speak clearly this time. "Who is your dad?"_

"_It's not important." She divulged as she stepped out of the shadows of the staircase, revealing the elegant, pink, silk dress that fit her perfectly. "Link... would you like to come with me?"_

"_Where?"_

_She grabbed his hand gently and pulled him along behind her as she ran down the winding corridors of the castle. They eventually ended up in the castle courtyard._

"_You've gotta be quiet, okay?" she hushed as she continued to pull Link along._

_The courtyard opened up and revealed a fabulous display of flowers and plants of every kind. Link was speechless, he was not allowed in the royal gardens, yet this strange girl was._

"_I love it here." She smiled as she went and laid down in a patch of grass. "I could stay here for the rest of my life."_

_Link gave the girl the oddest look. Why did she bring him here? "Um... who are you?"_

_She sighed but did not answer._

"_Excuse me, who are you?" Link asked again, thinking she had not heard him the first time. _

_She stared up at Link, as if looking into his soul. "Link, I don't know what it is about you, but I feel as if we are met to do something important someday."_

_Link shook his head nervously._

"_Never forget this spot, okay?" she smiled._

"_ZELDAAAAAAAA! Zelda where are you?" a man's voice boomed from one of the tower windows._

"_Dad." her eyes widened as she stood up._

"_Dad?" Link repeated. "Funny, he sounds like the... king."_

_Link looked at the strange girl with awe stricken eyes. "That would make you... Princess Zelda."_

_The girl looked away. "I have to go. Make sure you leave the way you came in. And remember, don't ever forget this spot!"_

_Link watched her fade away into the barrage of flowers. "I won't."_

* * *

"_307, will you be present at the ball tomorrow night?" a 15-year old Princess Zelda smiled up at her kitchen boy. "It will be very fun."_

_Link bowed, "As much as I would like to, I will not be in attendance. I have never been to a ball in my life."_

_The princess sat up in her chair and looked Link dead in the eye. "We'll fix that."_

_As if by magic, the princess had called in one of her advisors and had him change the servant work schedule, so Link could work at the ball._

"_See you there, kitchen boy." She smiled softly and winked at him._

* * *

_Link watched as the wealthy nobles spun each other around and around on the freshly waxed floors of the great hall. It was the ball the princess had told him about._

_He stood against the wall, out of the way, with the other servants. He was ready to be called upon if need be. _

"_Is that the princess?" one of the other kitchen boy's whispered in Link's ear as he pointed at the beautiful young lady sitting at the head table._

_Link widened his eyes. "Yes, yes it is."_

_Zelda looked Link's way and smiled sweetly and happily. She was happy to see her friend, no doubt._

"_I think she's looking at you pal!" the other boy nodded. _

"_You think so?" Link laughed nervously as the princess returned her attention to the dancing nobles._

* * *

_Link wandered through the castle's empty hallways with a tub full of dishes. He was on his way to the kitchen to drop off the load. He could hear the fate sounds of the music from the great hall reverberating through the rest of the castle._

_He then felt a warm hand grab his arm at the elbow joint and spin him around. Link stood face to face with Princess Zelda herself._

_Link almost dropped the tub of dishes to the floor._

"_I had to get away" she said. "I couldn't stand another minute on display."_

_Link gave the princess a blank and confused stare. "You shouldn't be here."_

_Zelda smiled softly. "I know. That's what makes it so fun."_

_She giggled a bit at Link's clumsy footing as he tried to slowly leave her side._

"_You're more trouble than a fleet of moblins, your highness." Link laughed._

"_Perhaps." Zelda nodded. "Would you care to dance when you return to the hall?"_

_Link swallowed hard. He felt his heart begin to pound. A girl was asking him to dance. She wasn't just any girl either; she was the Crown Princess of Hyrule, a future queen._

"_Um, your highness... that would be an honour, but I don't know how to dance." _

"_Oh? It's easy! I can show you!" Zelda spun around, her long blonde hair flowed with her and her elegant purple gown. "I had to take dance lessons when I was younger."_

_Link could feel his cheeks beginning to burn red. "I'm not allowed on the dance floor. I wouldn't even be allowed to dance with my own kind, let alone the princess."_

_Zelda shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Excuses, excuses, excuses."_

_Link knew that Zelda knew the rules, but was just showing her irritation to them._

"_Well, how about we dance here?" Zelda smiled as she extended her hand to Link. "The music is loud enough. It'll be like we're there."_

_Link's burning red face got even hotter. "Um, I... er."_

"_Oh come on 307! Can I not dance with my dear friend?" Zelda took the dish tub away from Link and set it on the floor before grabbing his hand and pulling him close. "Now, follow my lead. The guy usually leads, but apparently my guy doesn't know how to dance. You need to know how to dance before you can lead."_

* * *

"Hey! Wake up in there!" growled a drunken man's voice.

Link shot open his eyes and saw one of the intoxicated guards banging a baton against the rusty steel bars of Link's cell.

"We have to be awake, so do you!" the guard hissed as he left to return to his card game and gin.

Link shook his head at the nonsense.

* * *

Zelda wiped her eyes and began reading over small parts of the execution papers in her head.

_To whom it may concern,_

_I, Queen Zelda VII, hereby find the accused, servant 307, guilty of treason, conspiracy and murder of the first degree._

_307 has been accused of high treason against the crown, conspiracy to kidnap the heiress apparent and the unlawful murder of King Gengo II. _

_I, Queen Zelda VII, hereby approve the execution of none other than servant, 307, by beheading._

_Royal Signature: _

_Execution date: _

_Executioner signature: _

Zelda shook her head in disbelief as her eyes wandered down to the empty space where she was to drip hot, red wax and stamp down the royal seal of approval.

She let her thumb rest on the empty space as she sighed. "I can't do this. Not to him. Not to anyone."

She stared at the fireplace for a moment and thought about lighting it. Perhaps the crackling embers would sooth her, much like it did her father.

She set the papers down on the desk and walked over to the fireplace. "I can't do this. I can't be queen."

She threw some fresh logs into the hearth and then grabbed one of the lit candles off of the mantle and held it against the logs and waited for them to ignite. Once they did, she put the candle back in its proper spot and walked back to her desk.

"What if he isn't guilty though? What if he didn't do it? What if it is all an illusion?" Zelda stopped herself short of the desk as the thought blew through her lips. "I'd be sending an innocent man, my friend, to death."

She stood still for a moment and ran another thought through her mind. _Why can't we have a fair trial? Why is it on me?_

She returned to her desk and began flipping through one of the Hylian law books. She soon found out why no trial was to happen.

_If there is no other suspect and all proof points to one suspect, no trial shall take place. Instead, he/she will be at the mercy of the sovereign and the law._

Zelda closed the book and frustration. "This is ridiculous. This is probably one of those save rupees plans put in place by King Laertes' finical advisors. They didn't see the point on spending the rupees on a trial if the suspect was obviously _guilty_."

Zelda frowned as she threw the law book into the fireplace and thought about Link. "I don't know if he killed my father or not. I don't think it is fair to have him killed if I am not one hundred percent sure. There must be a middle ground."

That was when she had an idea, a most wonderful idea that she had read in the now burning law book. "Banishment!"

* * *

**Review it my friends!**


	9. Another Way

**Act 9: _Another Way_**_**  
**_

That night all Zelda thought about was how she would explain her decision to her advisors. Changing Link's sentence from death to banishment was quite a large step. Of course, Zelda was the new monarch, so she could do whatever she wanted and everyone would have to obey.

It was that last fact that sparked Zelda's interest. It was something her father was very good at. One does not have to explain themselves because they are the ruler of the nation and are _divinely appointed_ by the goddesses of Hyrule. Not just that, but they can kill and spare anyone they desire, including those who oppose them.

Zelda was unsure of her new power, but this idea made her have some confidence in her influence.

"Link will be banished to..." Zelda tapped her temple trying to think of a proper placement. "Hm..."

She could send Link to one of Hyrule's colonies, but she didn't want Link to be surrounded by religious extremists who wanted to invade Hyrule.

Zelda sat back in her chair and watch the dying fire take its last few crackles and sparks of life before it smothered itself. She looked above the mantle and saw the hand drawn map of Hyrule being illuminated by the candles.

She eyed up Snowpeak and then the Desert Province. "Would they even count as banishment? He would still technically be in my kingdom. Maybe I shouldn't have burnt that law book."

Zelda rested her elbows on the desk and put her head in her hands in annoyance. She tried to remember the lessons her tutors had taught her about law, but like most people, she couldn't recall anything.

Then there was a firm knock at the door. Zelda shot her head up as she tried to reorganize all of the papers that were once piled neatly on her desk. "Um... just a minute!"

"Honestly your majesty, you work harder than you father did." A familiar and seductive man's voice chuckled from behind the thick wooden door.

Zelda felt her heart skip a beat in shock as she whispered. "Mihari..."

"Are you done yet your majesty? It is well after midnight. You need your rest."

Zelda shot her eyes around the desk to make sure everything was in order, she then jumped up and ran to the fireplace to make sure the Hylian law book had be burnt to a crisp. The last thing she wanted was Mihari seeing the queen burning books.

She fixed her hair, pulling a few loose strands out of her face before gracefully folding her hands in front of her and standing up straight near the fireplace. "Come in."

The magician obliged. He was as quiet as a ghost as he flowed through the door and closed it behind himself. He was holding a tray with two cups on it. "Thought you'd fancy some tea, your majesty."

Zelda narrowed her eyes at the magician. He had never brought her tea in the past. "What are you doing, Mihari?"

"Oh, old habits die hard I suppose. I use to bring your father a cup of tea on late nights like this." Mihari nodded proudly as he set the tray on the corner of the desk. "I also thought I would come here to congratulate you on your coronation, as I was not present for the ceremony."

Zelda approached Mihari with subtle caution as she grabbed one of the tea cups off the tray. "You're also here to check up on me, no?"

Mihari seemed surprised by the queen's bluntness but nodded anyway as he grabbed his cup off the tray and took a sip. "Guilty as charged. I wanted to make sure you were alright after hearing such terribly shocking news back at the party. That was my fault, I'm sorry."

Zelda watched a small bubble float around the perimeter of her tea before speaking up again. "No, I wanted to know the truth, do not apologize. Has everyone gone home?"

Mihari sighed as he went to sit down on one of the wooden chairs in the corner. "Yes, everyone that was supposed to go home did so. They all left a few hours ago while you were sitting up here."

Zelda rubbed her chin. "I should have bid them all goodnight. How very foolish of me to forget my etiquette."

Mihari shook his head. "You were upset and confused your majesty, I understand. I covered for you. I told them that you were not feeling well after drinking that wine and bid them goodnight on your behalf. They won't remember anyways, by the time it was time to leave, majority of them were so drunk they could barely stand up."

The young queen took another sip of tea. She was surprised at how Mihari could take care of things so easily. She still did not trust him, but somehow he was winning her over little by little.

Mihari then looked at the execution documents on Zelda's desk. "Looked through those yet?"

"No."

Mihari gave the queen a cynical look and chuckled. "Whatever you say. But next time, remember that the signature document goes on the top of the stack, okay?"

"Okay. Wait, what?" Zelda coughed.

"I've been delivering those documents to that desk for years! I know when they've been tampered with. As clever as you think you are, you cannot outwit me, your majesty."

Zelda and Mihari finished their tea in silence. Zelda was trying to sum up the courage to ask Mihari about having Link banished instead of beheaded, but that courage never seemed to come.

Mihari watched the new queen dart her eyes nervously and merely smiled. "Is there something you would like to ask of me, your majesty?"

Zelda gasped a little at being called out by the magician. But she realized this was a prime opportunity to get a second opinion, even if it was from Mihari.

"Yes... I... you see. It's about the execution."

Mihari furrowed his brow. "You can't bring yourself to do it, can you? You just can't sign the poor boy off."

"No, I can't." Zelda admitted. "I was wondering if-

"There was another way? No." Mihari interrupted and shot back at the queen in annoyance. "No there is no other way."

"What about exile?" Zelda asked.

"HA! To where? Holodrum? Labrynna? Vidla? Samsa? The Hylian colonies who want to capture and control their motherland?" Mihari barked. "No! You know what kind of terms we are on with all of those outer forces. You think they're going to let us drop our convicts into their lands? Ha! They'd probably think we're plotting a terrorist attack!"

Mihari was clearly angered by Zelda's suggestion. Zelda actually stepped back a bit out of fear.

"What about exile within the kingdom? Maybe to the Desert Province or Snowpeak?"

Mihari narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. They were indeed tough areas to get into and escape from. Both could be unforgiving and difficult to traverse. If one did not know what they were doing in such geographic locations, they could easily die. "Perhaps..."

Zelda perked up her head at the magician's response. "Perhaps?"

"Out of the two I would send him to the desert." Mihari nodded as he stood up and placed his cup on the tray. He extended his hand to the queen. "Done with your tea?"

Zelda handed him her cup and nodded. "Thank you."

Mihari placed the cup on the tray with care and slowly bowed to Zelda. "I take my leave. Please get to bed as soon as possible your majesty. You have a big day tomorrow. You'll have many more nights like this as time goes by. I advise you to take this time as a gift and get some rest."

Zelda nodded again as she watched the magician leave.

"Oh, and your majesty, you were only toying with the banishment idea, right? You weren't taking it seriously, correct?" Mihari said softly before he vanished into the hallway. There was something threatening about how he spoke.

"Of course. I was just playing around with possibilities for the future." Zelda replied.

"Very well. Good night your majesty." Mihari murmured as he exited into the hallway and shut the door behind him.

Zelda let out a huge sigh of relief as she wiped several beads of sweat from her forehead. "Thank Din that that is over with."

* * *

The dungeon was in perfect darkness, aside from the distant moonlight coming from one of the far off windows. The drunken knights had finished their card game, took their last few sips of tonic and gin, put the candles out and gone home, even though they were supposed to be on night watch.

Link couldn't sleep. He returned his thoughts to the memory of when he and Zelda were only 8 years old. It was a memory that he had forgotten. He was not yet officially a servant in those days, therefore he had no number. _I introduced myself as Link, didn't I?_

Link studied the memory closely. He wondered if the princess remembered his name or not, because for years she asked him for his name, yet he had told her his name. _Was she just playing a game with me the whole time? No. She specifically said my name and told me to remember that spot in the royal gardens. I wonder if she remembers this..._

In the distance Link heard snoring from one of the other prisoners, followed by another shouting "shut up". All of the screams of pain coming from the torture chamber had silenced as well. Even those who deliver torture have their bedtimes.

Link felt the lower part of the back of his neck for a moment to feel the slowly healing scars from when he had been flogged for 'telling lies' in his interrogation. The scars spanned from his lower back to the lower part of his neck and had not stopped stinging since they were delivered.

Thinking about his torture he found himself curling into the fetal position on the floor of his cell and finally falling asleep.

* * *

Mihari sat in his yellow chamber and was reading over several manuscripts. In his left hand he held his paper, and his right hand was balled in a fist. Every now and again he would crack the knuckles in his right hand and lick his lips as if satisfied with the disgusting noise.

The magician hummed a happy yet eerie tune as he flipped through the pages. "Ah, there's nothing like cuddling up in your favourite chair in front of the fire and reading over today's torture files. Wouldn't you agree?"

Mihari held out his right arm as a strange red bird swooped down and landed on it. The bird let out a mighty chirp in agreement.

"That silly little girl wants to send lover boy into exile? I don't think so." Mihari shook his head.

The bird chirped again.

"Yes, lover boy is that boy you met a few weeks ago, Link was his name, or some ridiculous thing like that."

The bird's cry was much louder this time as it took off and flew up into the darkened ceiling.

"Boy meets girl. Girl is in trouble. Boy runs after her. Boy gets in my way. Boy defeats ME!" Mihari gridded his teeth in anger as the room began to shake. "But this time you see, it will be different. Oh yes, very different indeed. This time I will break them up before anything of the sort can happen! You see, the boy cannot chase the girl if he is without his head!"

Mihari began to laugh manically as he crushed the torture manuscripts in his hand. He flipped his hair back and laughed harder. "They've made this too easy for me! I've already won! After all, second time's the charm they say."

* * *

Morning broke over Hyrule. After a night of celebration, everyone in jolly old Castle Town fell back into their routines. Everyone from the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker were a little hungover from the parties being held around the town on the previous night.

The town square was quite quiet that morning despite people carrying on with their usual schedules, probably because everyone had a headache and wished for silence. Even the musicians the castle had commissioned to sing cheerful songs in the town were rather quiet. When the whole town falls upon a deafening silence, perhaps there is such a thing as parting too hard.

Of course among that silence there were whispers, whispers about the possibility of a public execution of the former king's so called 'murderer'.

"Off with his head!"They would say.

"May the goddesses have mercy on his soul!" they would jeer.

"May his death be a lesson to those who oppose the crown!" they would remark.

"Long live the queen! Long burn the killer!" posters would read in their special type of propaganda.

Yes, it had become unanimous among the townsfolk; the killer of the king must be punished. The only punishment they saw fit was death. They would take nothing more and nothing less than seeing the murderer's blood run into the gutters of the streets.

Yes, the people of Castle Town were blood thirty, but do not think poorly of them. They were upset about losing their (mediocre) leader. It was true, at times some were happy Gengo was gone, but at other times they were saddened by his death, as it was the end of an era and they did not know what kind of queen Gengo's daughter would be or if she even knew the first thing about running a country.

* * *

Zelda had fallen asleep at her desk and woke in the morning to the sounds of birds chirping outside her window. She spent her last moments with open eyes, scribing down her official verdict before sailing off into dreamland.

She read it over in her head, just to make sure she had not made a single mistake.

_To whom it may concern,_

_It has come to my attention that servant 307 has been accused of high treason, conspiracy against the crown and murder of the first degree of King Gengo II._

_There have been many fingers pointed and many names called in recent days, and it seems all signs point to this servant. Though, I cannot see any reliable evidence against him as I somewhat disagree with his suspicion and believe there to be other suspects that need to be put under surveillance._

_I refuse to be a bloody monarch, and therefore I want to handle this situation in the most humane way possible until my suspicions of those other parties are cleared or confirmed._

_I, Queen Zelda VII hereby sentence servant 307 to a lifetime of banishment in the Desert Province. If he is seen outside of his designated area, he is to be brought back to Castle Town to be punished._

_If anyone disagrees with this verdict, it will be seen as a dispute with the crown's absolute authority and judgement and you will be tried for such sacrilege._

_Royal Signature:_

"Sounds good!" Zelda nodded as she began to handwrite her signature onto the parchment.

She then grabbed a candle from the corner of her desk and dripped a bit of its hot wax onto the empty white space next to her signature. She then opened one of the drawers in her desk, produced a small gold ring and slipped it on the skinny ring finger on her right hand.

She inspected the ring for a moment as it slide around on her finger. It had been resized to fit her father's podgy sausage fingers, and soon it would have to be resized to fit her nimble ones. The ring was a signet ring that had the royal coat of arms on it.

She stamped the ring down into the wax and left the royal symbol indented into it. She waited a moment before folding the paper up, sliding it into an envelope and then creating a wax seal on the envelope and stamping the ring down into hot wax again.

She then called for her lady-in-waiting to come and take the envelope from her position and deliver it to her court for verification. From the court it would go to the dungeon master, Anubis.

As her one lady-in-waiting acted as a courier for the royal verdict, Zelda called upon another lady-in-waiting to deliver a note to the dungeon. She wished for this note to reach the dungeon before the royal verdict.

"Make hast Sherri, deliver this note to Anubis the dungeon master." Zelda ordered as she placed the other envelope in the hands of her second lady-in-waiting. "Tell him that it is important."

"As you wish, my lady." Sherri curtsied before accepting the letter and hurrying out of the queen's office.

* * *

"Okay you wastes of skin! Wake up!" a strong man's voice hollered through the dungeon hallway and echoed off the walls. "Even the goddesses of Hyrule have to wake in the day!"

Link woke up to see the man was standing in front of his cell, holding a piece of paper with an unimpressed look on his face. Link could also see a very well dressed young lady standing behind the man.

"Can I help you?" Link moaned as he uncurled from the fetal position on the floor.

"Her majesty, the queen would like to speak with you in her office." The man barked as spit flew out of his mouth. His teeth were sharp like a dog's and his eyes were that of an angry wolf's. "Goddess knows why."

"Anubis, will you just let the young man come with me already?" the lovely lady asked politely.

"Oh, very well Miss. Sherri." The man rolled his eyes as he detached the large ring of keys from his belt and searched for the one for Link's door.

Link shook his head in surprise. Zelda wished to see him? What for? Perhaps Link would finally get his chance to explain himself to the queen.


	10. The Verdict

_(A/N: Congratulations everybody; we are nearly at the end of December 21, 2012, the day that we were to all die on. I don't know about you, but when I woke up this morning I thought about my alarm clock, what I was having for breakfast and that stash of Mountain Dew I have in my fridge just in case something happened and what I'm going to do with it all. Maybe I'll pay the food bank a visit tomorrow... – Infamous 12/21/12)_

* * *

**Act 10: **_**The Verdict **_

And so Zelda's lady-in-waiting, Sherri, and the dungeon master, Anubis, escorted Link in rusted chains up the many steps to Zelda's office in the east tower.

Sherri, who may have been in her early twenties, had brown hair with loose curls. She was short, fair skinned and average looking. Her hazel eyes curiously glanced over at Anubis every now and again as her hair bounced with her steps.

Anubis on the other hand, was tall, dark and handsome. He had black hair and mean black eyes. He paid no attention to Sherri as he pulled Link along like a dog by the shackle that had been placed around his neck.

When they reached the braced door of Zelda's office, Link could feel a lump welling in his throat. He was afraid yet excited to face the queen.

Sherri gently knocked on the door and in her soft Vidish accent whispered. "Your majesty, we 'ave brought 307 as you asked. May I please open zee door?"

"You're a Vid?" Anubis scoffed. "You were speaking normally before. What happened? Got tired of hiding your atrocious accent?"

Sherri frowned as Zelda replied. "Come in."

Sherri sighed as she forced the door open to reveal the queen's royal red office.

Link gasped to see the luxurious office. It truly was everything that every servant had fantasized about. It had been refurbished, refinished and refurnished since the king's death. This was not the office the king had died in; this was just down the hall from where the event took place. Link could see the door to the other office where the king had died, and all he could think about was that day when he delivered the tea.

Anubis removed his navy blue beret and stuffed it in his back pocket before yanking on Link's shackle, ordering him to move forward with him and Sherri.

Link looked around and did not immediately see Zelda. But eventually he saw a slender shadow on the floor and traced it back to the young queen standing near the fire.

Anubis yanked Link to the floor before Link could even become awestricken by how much older the queen appeared.

"Bow to your queen!" Anubis barked as he bent down on a respectful knee beside Link. Sherri merely curtsied, making the other two look rather silly.

"Dungeon Master Anubis, how do you do?" Zelda nodded slowly as Anubis rose to his feet but made sure Link remained on the ground.

"Very well; thank you for asking your majesty. How are you doing on this fine day?" Anubis clasped his hands together and bowed his head.

Zelda gave the dungeon master an aloof expression before answering with a sigh. "Good, I suppose. But I also suppose it is never a good day when I have to deal with such... business."

Zelda stole a glance at Link before looking back to the dungeon master. Link knew she was talking about him.

"Of course your majesty. I would also like to take this time to congratulate you on your ascension to the throne on behalf of my fellow dungeon masters and the rest of the dungeon staff. We would like you to know that though there are a few critics, you can count on us dungeon boys to always be in your corner. You will be a great queen." Anubis nodded respectfully as he placed his hand over his heart in allegiance. "We may be seen as savages, but when we rip arms out of their sockets during torture we do it in the name of the crown! We flog prisoners in the name of the crown! We execute the guilty in the name of the crown! We burn heretics in the name of the crown!"

Zelda winced slightly. "Why, thank you. I appreciate your words of... allegiance."

"What is it you have called this worthless sack of bones up here for? To tie his own hanging rope?"

Zelda sighed. "That is between me and the prisoner. Sherri, Dungeon Master, please wait outside the door patiently. I wish to read this prisoner his conviction."

"As you wish." Sherri curtsied and exited.

"Aye, the queen likes doing things personally? I like it! If he gives you any trouble your majesty, just shout and I'll come in here like a bat outta hell and beat him senseless with this here baton!" Anubis pulled the black bat out of his belt and displayed it to Zelda before tucking it back in its place, bowing, and exiting after Sherri.

Zelda waited for the door to close as she watched it with careful eyes. As soon as she heard the fateful bang of the door shutting in its correct position, she turned her attention to Link.

Link watched Zelda elegantly flow across the floor to her desk and slowly sit down. "Zelda-

"Do you know why you're here?" She interrupted.

"Uhm, no?" Link shook his head as she tried to stand himself up, but his shackles would not allow it.

"I need to ask you something."

"What? Anything!" Link could hear the desperation in his own voice at that moment, so he could only imagine what the young queen thought.

Zelda sighed. "Did you, or did you not kill my father?"

"No! Absolutely not! I would never do such a thing! Especially to someone like-

Link stopped himself before he finished his sentence.

"Me?" Zelda rolled her eyes hopelessly. "I knew you'd say no, but you see Link... I have a lot up against me right now. My councilmen want you dead, my court wants you dead, Hyrule wants you dead, Mihari wants you dead. Everyone wants you dead!"

Link looked down at the red carpet floor nervously. "Well... what do you want? What does Zelda the Queen of Hyrule want?"

Zelda shifted in her chair uncomfortably. "The Queen of Hyrule would want you dead. The Queen of Hyrule would want you dead for the good of her people and to make everyone happy."

Link swallowed hard at her reply. _This is it then..._

"But Zelda the person would want to spare you." She looked at the vile of ink on her desk with sad eyes. "Zelda the person would not want to convict someone and then find out later that they were not guilty at all, but that she signed off their execution paper anyway. Zelda the person would not be able to live with such a burden."

Link gasped a bit.

"This situation is very difficult, Link." Zelda bit her lower lip. "I had to make a choice. I realize that I can't act on my own personal opinion. I have to think of everyone else when I make a decision like this."

Link remained quiet as he felt his teeth chattering together.

"I have sent my verdict to my council of judges. They will more than likely approve it. They will not say no to the decision of the monarch." Zelda drummed the fingers on her right hand on the desk before speaking again. "That verdict will be sent to the dungeon and from there you will be dealt with."

Link exhaled heavily as his heart pounded in his chest.

"I wish to tell you my verdict, so you will have time to soak it in." Zelda held her breathe, as did Link. "Exile."

Link squeezed his eyes shut and gridded his teeth expecting a different statement. When he realized what she had said he nearly fainted. "What did you say?"

"Exile. Exile to the Desert Province." Zelda repeated grimly. "If there is more evidence found whilst you are in exile, you will be collected by knights and brought back to Castle Town for a public execution. I can't do anything about this. This is part of the law."

Link did not care. He was incredibly happy that he would be allowed to keep his head on his shoulders. But as a minute past he realized where he was to be shipped off to, the Desert Province. This seemed like a cruel prolonged death sentence. Link would surely die out in the desert's blazing, hot days and frigid, cold nights in a matter of days.

"You got off easy. I realize that I can't do things like this all the time. I must act as a queen, and not as a single person. But you are a dear friend and I want to believe in your innocence. I can't stand the thought of sending an innocent man to his death. Therefore I have chosen this path." Zelda explained. "I do know that it will be hard to survive out there. But I feel like if you can just find an inkling of hope out there and find your footing, you will thrive and live on."

Link nodded to show that he was listening and understood her position.

"If you are seen outside of your designated area you will be captured and brought back here, please keep this in mind." Zelda stood up from her desk and gently rested a hand on Link's scarred back. She could easily feel the slowly healing wounds. "What happened?"

"Flogging." Link said quietly.

Zelda's eyes were sullen as continued to rest her hand on his back. "I see. I am sorry."

Link heard the small heartbroken tone in Zelda's voice. "Don't be."

"No, I truly am sorry." Zelda said as she recalled Anubis' words on how the flog prisoners on behalf of the crown. "At least let me help you."

"How can you help me? What's done is done."

Link suddenly felt his back getting unbearable hot, as if hot coals had been placed on it. When he tried to cry out, Zelda hushed him.

"Shhhh, sit still and be quiet." She murmured as a blue light resonated from her palm and onto Link's injured back.

Zelda eventually lifted her hand from the young servant's wounds and let out a tired cough. "All done."

Link tried to see his back, but could not do so because of his shackles. "Wow, it actually feels better. What did you do?"

"Little magic trick."

"That's some little magic trick! You'd give Mihari a run for his rupees!"

Zelda simply giggled as she helped Link to his feet. The chains clacked and clanged together as Link rose up to his feet. He found himself face to face with the young queen.

Link realized how close they were and he blushed a bit. _She seems older, somehow. Of course, she has to be more mature, it comes with the job! I suppose these past few weeks would change any person quite a bit._

Zelda noticed Link staring and pulled away from the close proximity. She laughed a bit. "Oh... your breath is really bad."

Link felt his face burn crimson. Of course, he had not brushed his teeth in a number of days. How embarrassing on his part it must have been.

"Please remember what I am about to say to you, and only you." Zelda's face was serious and grave as she grabbed Link's hand. "Promise me that you will never reveal this anyone."

Link looked down at Zelda's hand that gripped his so firmly and solemnly nodded. "I won't tell a soul. I swear it."

"Very good." Zelda smiled softly before continuing. "When you are leaving the castle you will be approached by a stranger. You will not know them nor will you recognize them. They have been handpicked by me to carry out this task. They will supply you with a map, a compass, decent clothing, a sword and a few rations. They will not speak to you even if you talk to them. This is all they are to do, and this is all I can do for you."

Link narrowed his eyes as he tried to remember Zelda's words. "Got it."

Zelda let go of Link's hand and cleared her throat. "You should go. I have to address the public this afternoon and I am not prepared at all."

"Uhm, Zelda, one more thing." Link exhaled.

"Hm? What is it?"

"Do you... do you remember when we were little kids and we went to the royal gardens and you told me to never forget that certain spot?" Link blurted out.

Zelda stared off thoughtfully for a moment, trying to recall the memory. She said nothing as she smiled.

Link took this gesture as a 'yes'. "And I told you my name was Link, and you clearly repeated my name to me. Yet you asked me for years and years to reveal my name?"

Zelda's small smile grew a little wider. "I wanted to see how courageous you were; to see if you were willing to go against the rules. I wanted to see how much you trusted me. You trusted that I would not tell anyone about you and I being on a first name basis. I told you that you and I were destined for something great, so I wanted to make sure you could carry out your half of that destiny."

Link gave the young queen a perplexed look, but somehow found himself understanding her logic.

"You still remember that spot, right?" Zelda raised a curious eyebrow.

"Of course. The Crown Princess of Hyrule told me to remember it, so I did."

Zelda smiled. "I still wish I was her."

"What?"

"ANUBIS!" Zelda called.

The dungeon master crashed through the door and quickly bowed. "Your majesty."

"This prisoner may now leave my sight." Zelda waved Link away.

"Very well." Anubis nodded.

Anubis grabbed Link's dog chain like shackle and pulled him along through the door.

Link took one last glance at the young queen who was now in the company of her lady-in-waiting. He saw a look of seriousness cross the young royal's face as Sherri fussed over Zelda's hair. The door seemed to close in slow motion.

Link knew this could be the very last time he saw his friend, Zelda.

* * *

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Mihari screamed as he ripped the queen's verdict document in two. "EXILE!? WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON IN THAT PRETTY LITTLE HEAD OF HERS!?"

The feeble councilman cowered at the magician's rage. "I-I-I'm sorry, Mihari. But her majesty's rule is absolute. We cannot question her choices."

Mihari was fuming in anger. "I told her not to do that!"

"You cannot expect that girl to do everything you say, Mihari. She is young, strong and sharp as a tack. She is not her father at all, and as such she will not rely so heavily on your opinions." The councilman defended the young queen. "What kind of say do you expect anyway? You're nothing but an entertainer, only kept around by a weak minded man who could not make any real choices in life. You'll be lucky if the queen keeps you around for another term."

Mihari narrowed his eyes at the sniffling councilman. "What did you say?"

"N-n-nothing Mihari!"

The magician fixed his hair and pursed his lips. "What is your name?"

"My name? Alphonse." The councilman gasped.

"Well, _Alphonse_, I bet I have been involved in this institution longer than you've had adult teeth. So don't come around here trying to tell me what is what, and who is who! Got it?" Mihari growled as the pieces of the queen's verdict flowed across the floor.

"Understood." The councilman nodded as he back up against the wall.

"Good. Now, tell me, has the dungeon seen these verdict documents?"

"Yes. I was just taking them to be filed into the royal records. I was told you would be interested in viewing them, so I brought them to you first."

"So the boy is gone?"

"Yes, he left or should be leaving soon."

"Very well then." Mihari nodded as he got lost in his thoughts. "Leave me."

Alphonse nodded slowly as he slid across the stone wall and away from the distracted magician. "With pleasure."

As the councilman scurried away Mihari mouthed his name. "Alphonse? That's a Vidish name. The queen is allowing Vids to work under her? What kind of blasphemy is this? This will not be tolerated! She could ruin everything by allowing such nonsense!"

Mihari stormed the ancient halls of the castle in a fit of rage. "And where was that paintbrush's accent? I have questions!"

* * *

**REVIEW! If you're confused about something or are questioning things. Don't fret! I will answer them in time my child! I have a story map! If I could find a compass and a boss key, we'll be set!**


	11. Thinking Again

_(A/N: I would like to take this time to say thank you to everyone who has been following this story and I look forward to your continued support in 2013. I hope you all have a very safe and happy holiday. I was going to put this in Act 10, but I figured I could get one more chapter done and polished before Christmas. I imagine I'll have a few chapters up before New Years as well. Anyway, HAPPY HOLIDAYS from me to you and your loved ones. -Infamous 12/22/12)_

* * *

**Act 11: **_**Thinking Again**_

Night had fallen over Hyrule, and it had fallen quickly. The people in Castle Town readied themselves for a suspected oncoming storm due to the hastiness of the sky's darkening. It was not a starry night in Hyrule. No, the skies were plagued with an overbearing amount of cloud coverage. The dark clouds loomed close to the ground, so close that some fools tried to jump off of rooftops to touch them. Some said the clouds were a warning from the goddesses.

Link had spent the time between leaving Zelda and being released by being clarified by several security tests. Knights spent the day trying to figure out how they would go about transporting the prisoner to the desert in secret. They knew there would be trouble if the public found out that the "murderer" was not being executed. They concocted a lie that they had beheaded Link behind closed doors.

Of course, old King Laertes had built a bridge into the desert for his hopeful colony to garner supplies, but the bridge was now watched closely by outlaws. The knights took precaution of these people.

Outlaws, rebellious men and women who had begun to take control over the desert shortly before Gengo's death were dangerous, desperate and often despicable human beings. Outlaws were often people who had fallen on hard times due to poor economic standing in Hyrule. Many of them left their towns, villages, friends, families and everything that they ever knew to try to at least get by. They hated being powerless, they hated the law and they hated the monarchy.

Zelda was under pressure to deal with these crazed people. Of course in time she knew she would have to face the challenge of cracking down on them and putting an end to their ways once and for all, but that was a task she would have to handle at another time.

The knights had ultimately decided to risk the bridge. They felt confident in their abilities and like any serviceman in Hyrule was, they were proud. They were proud, and did not want to be bested by a bunch of "lowlife robbers".

Mihari had not had a chance to get into Zelda's ear all day. She addressed the public in a thirty minute speech and then sat on a temporary throne in the town square and was presented with gifts. Mihari could not seem to even get close. It was as if the queen had ordered her guards and entourage to barricade the magician.

As the dark of the night fell, Mihari's frustration grew. He needed to speak to the queen and give her a lecture. Would she listen? Probably not. Mihari realized that Zelda would not even give him the time of day.

"I must try harder..." he would mutter under his breath as he wandered the castle halls.

* * *

And so the hour was nigh, and Link was preparing to be shipped off into Hyrule's sandbox, the Desert Province. He sat on an old rotted out bench in chains in what could only be described as a large garage in a secret entrance at the back side of the castle as numerous amounts of knights marched by, making last minute arrangements to the small caravan that would carry Link to his destination.

The knights were generally rude to Link, every now and again a nice guy would come along and speak to him for a moment, but most of the men were ignorant.

"Hello." A young man's voice greeted.

Link turned to see his old polo teammate Finn smirking at him.

Link could not believe his eyes. "Finn, what are you doing here?"

"I'm delivering copies of maps from the royal library to the royal guard for their journey." Finn informed. "I thought you were to be beheaded. Quite a shock to see you here."

"I'm surprised myself." Link chuckled. "Just got lucky."

"Goddesses must be smiling down on you."

"Maybe."

Finn watched the knights tack up their horses and do last minute maintenance to the wagon with narrow, watchful eyes. Finn nodded silently. "Desert eh?"

"Mhm."

"Good luck out there. You'll need it."

Link felt his face nervously shuttered from Finn's words.

Finn saw this and responded. "Listen. There are a few small, temporary outlaw camps located remotely in the desert. Crown scouts have reported this and put it on file in the royal records. When I say small, I mean they are small. If you can befriend these people, perhaps you can get by."

Link looked down at his handcuffs. "I don't want to be a criminal..."

"You don't have to. I'm just saying it could be helpful to make some friends. It's just a tip." Finn shrugged.

Link nodded. "Thank you, Finn."

Finn licked his lips nervously as he watched the knights begin to stare at him. "I should go. I will send your regards to the guys."

"Okay." Said Link.

Finn gave Link a look of sympathy as he started to walk away from his former teammate.

This was when things began to hit home for Link. He was now preparing to leave everything and everyone he knew. He may never come back. He may not survive a day in the desert. He could be killed in cold blood and have his corpse robbed by outlaws as soon as he was abandoned. Nightmarish thoughts flanked Link's young mind as another figure approached slowly.

All the knights had gone to their common room for a moment, leaving Link to sit alone on the damp, rotten bench in chains.

The figure emerged from the other side of the stone bridge and slowly walked towards the dimly lit garage. Link didn't notice the figure until it was in the threshold.

Link looked up from his hands and saw the figure in full. He or she was in a long black cloak with their face covered by the shadow of a hood and was carrying a brown sack over one shoulder.

Link tried not to gasp loudly as the figure looked at the five horse caravan and the wagon that would carry Link. The figure merely pointed at the wagon, as if asking if this was where Link would ride.

Link nodded slowly as the figure slung the sack off of its back and heaved it into the wagon. It then produced a sword in a sheath from its cloak and chucked it onto the wagon as well.

The horses did not make a sound or even seem slightly disturbed by the figure's presence. It was as if the figure was only noticeable to Link.

The figure stood for a moment and looked at Link with a sense of wonder before it nodded and turned around and disappeared into the night.

Link was awestricken. It was just as Zelda had foretold. Link knew what the contents of the sack would be after seeing the sword. Zelda had kept her word true to him.

Link felt an inner happiness overcome his heart at that moment. He did not know who the figure was, nor did he care, but he felt as if he had someone on his side. The fact that Zelda went out of her own way and had gone to the trouble of finding a trustworthy delivery boy/girl and made sure Link would be supplied with several survival necessities only amplified this happiness.

The knights came barreling out of the common room shouting and swearing at each other. Two of the stronger looking knights grabbed Link and threw him into the wagon, not noticing the newly placed supplies sitting next to him. One knight climbed onto each of the four horses that surrounded the wagon and one sat on the horse that was pulling the wagon.

"Ready boys?" called out the knight on the wagon horse.

"Yeah!" called out the other four.

Link was on his way to the desert. Many thoughts flooded his head at the moment the wagon wheels started turning. Those thoughts where then halted by a strong bop over the head, knocking Link unconscious.

* * *

Zelda sat in her office once again, rolling a small marble back and forth across her desk with a bored expression on her face. Her councilmen had just finished lecturing her on her choice to keep her ex-kitchen boy alive, and now she was alone again.

Alone again and alone in her thoughts, as usual. Zelda wondered how many more nights like this she would see in her lifetime. She estimated about a million and four. If she went over that limit she decided that she would just do herself in.

Of course those thoughts were invaded by Link. She couldn't stop thinking about him and if she made the correct choice. After being put through the wringer and hung out to dry by your own council, you would question yourself and your own motives and priorities too.

"I hope this doesn't come back to bite me." she bit her lower lip and spoke quietly to herself. "I might have just saved a criminal's life because he was my _friend_. I should have reviewed this with my advisors before making my final judgment. I acted too quickly. What would I do if this was something like a war? That would be the fate of more people than just one."

She stopped rolling the marble and held it tightly in her right hand. She then tapped the glass ball on the oak desk and continued to speak to herself. "War. I need to go over Hyrule's current standing with the Vidish Empire and our colonies tomorrow morning. Maybe I should write letters to Emperor Claude and the chancellors of the colonies. Or perhaps it is too early? Perhaps it is too late? Perhaps they should have been invited to the coronation and the after party? I swear the chancellors were invited though. The Vidish sent wine for the party, so I assume that is a good thing."

The young monarch let out a soft yawn and stretched for a moment as she stood up and faced the braced door that led to the hallway. She didn't dare go through the door that connected the two offices and the bedroom. To get to the bedroom she would have to go through the office her father died in, and she was not ready for that. So instead, she would exit into the hallway and make her way to her room from there.

As she slowly shuffled to the door in a tired daze there was a knock from the other side.

"Oh what is it now?" she murmured under her breath.

Then there was that familiar seductive voice. "Your majesty, it is I, Mihari."

"Oh goddesses." Zelda rolled her eyes. "What is it?"

Mihari was taken aback by the queen's blunt and harsh tone. "I wished to speak with you."

Zelda rolled her eyes again. _He's blocking my way out. If I wanted to be chewed up and spit out again, I would just call my councilmen back for another round._

"What do you want to talk about? I don't have time for such petty matters!" Zelda replied, deciding to try to sound as if she was busy when she just wanted to go to bed.

"It is regarding... today." Mihari's voice carried through the door. "I brought tea!"

Zelda put her hand on her forehead and began to drag it down her face slowly in annoyance and she groaned. "Fine, come in."

The young queen sat back down behind her desk and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. _Goddesses, I hate this guy. When do I get to review my list of advisors? Wait... he's not even an advisor! What list would he be on? The entertainment list? The list of castle idiots?_

The braced door slowly swung open and Mihari appeared with a tray that had two tea cups sitting on it. "I've wanted to speak with you all day, your majesty. You are a very hard woman to get hold of."

"Mhm." Zelda nodded nonchalantly, trying to get this meeting over as quickly as possible. "What is it about today that you wish to speak of."

The dark magician placed the small tray on the corner of the desk and clasped his hands together at his midsection. "Straight to the point, I see."

"I am very tired Mihari and I have a headache, so unless you have something important to say, I suggest it would be in your best interest to go." Zelda snapped back as she rubbed her temple. She could feel a migraine coming on.

"I have several issues I wish you would address with me." Mihari smiled softly. "Why are you allowing Vidish people to work under you? Why did you banish that servant to the desert? Why does it seem that your entourage and security are barring me from you? Why are you acting so queenly after only a couple of days on the throne?"

Zelda closed her eyes and folded her hands together on her desk. She began to speak frankly and to the point. "Number one. I will run a kingdom of tolerance. If there are people who come to my country willing to work and contribute to the economy, they shall not be turned down. Number two. I refuse to inflict death penalty on someone who does not have enough evidence stacked against them to be a proper case. Number three. That is because they are, on my orders. Number four. Because it is my job to be a queen. Any other questions?"

Mihari stood a little taller at the queen's forthright reply. He was not sure as to what to say to the young woman.

"Anything else, Mihari? The hour is late and I am sure there will be time for more of this trivia tomorrow." Zelda stood up from her desk and glared at the magician. "I will not need you for much longer, Mihari. I realize that I am the queen, and that I better act like one or I will lose my job, or my head."

Zelda made her way to the door, swung it open, stomped through and slammed it shut. She had abandoned Mihari in her own office. Mihari was shocked and surprised. He knew the new queen would be hard to tame, but he did not realize that she was planning on his exit so early.

_I must do something. _He licked his lips in wonder as he stared at the empty desk. _This child is getting out of hand. I need to have her eating out of my palm, just like her foolish father. But how shall I do that? Where did she get that inner fire and sense of duty? Her tutors? Certainly not from her father._

Then it hit Mihari like a ton of bricks. He had an idea. He had an awful but perfectly wonderful idea. Like most politicians in our world know, Mihari understood that to keep order, you must have chaos. Through that chaos, you will become wanted and desired once again. And that is exactly what Mihari had in mind.

* * *

**REVIEW IT. I HEART FEEDBACK.  
**


	12. Fellowship

_(A/N: For those that celebrate it, I hope you all had a great Christmas! I hope you got at least one thing you wanted this holiday season. I know I did. Now all we have to do is get to the gym to work off that Christmas dinner weight before New Years!  
Anyway, I know it's a little late, but this is my gift to you. That's right; I got you a brand spanking new chapter! Come on now, look excited! Now I'm off to do Boxing Day shopping! Far Cry 3 and/or Batman: Arkham City, here I come! Wish me luck! If I get them, you might not see me for a week (haha) – Infamous 12/26/12)_

* * *

**Act 12: **_**Fellowship **_

Link woke up in darkness. He could hear the distant dripping of water as he began to breathe in the thin, salty air. He could see very little, and what he could see was illumined by a small flickering fire that seemed rather far away.

He moved a bit as he felt his back crack and snap like a biscuit. He noticed that his chains were gone and that he was now free to roam. Where he would go, he did not have the slightest clue, mainly because he had no idea as to where he was leaving from.

Link tried to stand but when he did he fell back down and hit the damp, rock floor hard. He was dizzy and weak. His leg began to sting as if it had been wounded.

"Where am I?" Link whispered to himself as he tried to place his hand over his leg. "What happened to me?"

Hysteria was slowly beginning to set in on Link's vulnerable mind. He felt his body break into a nervous sweat and shaking frenzy. He knew he was hurt, he knew he was in an underground structure of some sort and he knew that he was starving.

"Stay down." A man's voice mumbled in the darkness. "You were injured. It is best to let yourself rest."

Link gasped and then swallowed hard at the man's reply. Like many people, Link had a sixth sense that alerted him when there was an unseen presence in the area, but this time he did not originally pick up on it. This baffled Link.

"Lay back down and rest. I can't get food prepared with you being antsy." The voice chuckled and then silenced.

Link obliged to the orders of the unseen stranger. "I have questions though."

"And I have some for you as well. There will be plenty of time for question period later though." The voice began to speak as if it were moving away from Link. "For now, you should fall back to sleep. I realize this isn't the royal family's summer home, but it will have to do."

And so Link was back on the rock floor on his back, trying to cope with the stinging pain in his leg, the discomfort he felt from the floor and the confusion he felt from the whole situation.

* * *

The Desert Province was a barren wasteland, especially in the dead of the night. Cold winds would linger and whip their way across the Gerudo Mesa like a hungry pack of dogs. In their gusty breaths they carried particles of sand and broken up debris from days gone by. For the most part, the desert was quite empty for only the strong and the foolish could brave the desert for a long period of time. There were several small and desecrated makeshift tents and huts, often left behind by outlaws who had been rejected by their gangs, lost mapmakers, wannabe adventurers or idiotic, traveling salesmen. They had been searched and raided on numerous occasions for whatever their previous inhabitant may have left behind, and were left to be buried and forgotten in the sands of time.

The desert had only been successfully traversed and mastered by a handful of people in recorded history. The Hero of Twilight's desert crusade was well documented in several pieces of Hylian literature, including popular books such as Sir Shad's _"The Hero and the Resistance" _and Queen Zelda VI's book, "_Twilight Zone"_.

The hero had been hailed for clearing the desert of serious threats and making it "habitable" for people. Most of the hailing was done by his suspected illegitimate son, King Laertes I, the man who wanted to colonize the desert in his mother's name. Obviously, Laertes' dream never came true.

* * *

"Ey, you gonna get up?" a voice echoed and chimed in Link's ear. "You gonna get up, or am I gonna have to poke you with the fire poker?"

Link's eyes shot open to again see the darkness of his current confinement. "What?"

"I made kebabs! I hope you like grilled Molodorms and Leevers!" the voice said with some enthusiasm and forwardness. "Once you get over the fact that they are both nasty monsters, it is actually quite tasty. Molodorms taste like cuccos and Leevers have a bit of a green vegetable flavour going for them. I was hoping to find some random Bullbos roaming around, but I wasn't too lucky this time."

Link sat up and inhaled deeply through his nose. He was bombarded with the heavenly scent of actual food. He was not put off at all by what the food actually was. He was just happy that he would finally get to dig into something other than the swill that had been fed to him during his time in the castle dungeon. He felt his stomach pang and growl loudly as it grew excited with the idea of being full.

The man's voice laughed wholeheartedly. "Bahaha! Hungry eh?"

"Who are you?" Link called out into the darkness.

The darkened room then lit up with a large amount of candle and torch light. Link saw that there were individual torches on the wall now burning brightly and candles on the ground dancing and flickering their small flames around.

Link looked forward to see a man sitting by the small, faraway fire by himself with a plate beside him.

Link tried to stand again, and was successful. He began to limp over to the fire as a happy smile grew on his face. He continued to think of having his stomach full of actual food. The pain in his leg did not even faze him for a moment because the thoughts of eating were so significant.

The man at the fire was wearing beige pants that were tucked into brown boots with a black tunic and a Sam Browne belt that slung over his right shoulder. He wore a brown cape that had a hood that covered his face with a shadow. The man appeared to be muscular yet lean and tall. He sat with his legs crossed and his hands on his lap, as if waiting for Link to approach him.

Link eventually slammed down onto the ground across from the mysterious man, on the other side of the fire. The man raised his head a bit to reveal a brown chinstrap beard and a diagonal scar across his left cheek.

Link panted in exhaustion as beads of sweat dripped from his brow in onto his shirt. He looked down at his leg to see it patched up with bandages. It appeared that blood had been seeping through the dressings but it had eventually stopped.

"You're a hell of a mess..." the man grunted as he pushed the plate across the rock floor over to Link. To Link's surprise and dismay, there was not food on it.

The man grinned from under his hood on the other side of the fire. "What's your name, boy?"

Link put a hand on his grumbling stomach. "Link. My name is Link."

"Interesting name you got." The man wheezed as he reached into the fire quickly. He then removed three sticks with what appeared to be meat and vegetables on them. "Pass me that plate back."

Link looked down at the old, cracked, white dish, unsure of why the man passed it to him in the first place. He then passed it back over to the man and he placed the kebabs onto it and sent it sliding over the floor back to Link.

"Eat up Link. You're gonna need vitamins to heal your wounds quickly. This ain't no Castle Town, so I can't just give you a potion and make you feel better. You're gonna have to do the healing yourself." The man examined a small knife on the floor.

Link began stuffing his face with the monster kebabs. Drool began to fly from his mouth as he bit down on the sticks of dead beast flesh. "This is really good!"

The man just nodded and smirked as he continued to play with the small knife. "So, where do you come from? You're acting as if you have not eaten a good meal in weeks."

Link continued to munch away at the meat and made happy grunting noises like a wolf as he answered. "That's because I haven't! I came from the castle."

"The castle you say?" the man spoke with a sense of surprise and interest as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You a knight or something?"

"Ahaha, no." Link swallowed the last contents of the first kebab. "I was a servant."

"Servant? What in the name of Din is a servant doing out in the desert? Shouldn't you be rubbing the royal feet or something? Or perhaps kissing the royal rear?"

Link did not answer this time. He crunched on the Leever's plant-like meat as his eyes began to sadden.

The man put his hands on his knees and frowned at Link. "Not talking now? After I rescue you, shelter you and feed you, you refuse to reply? Hmph, castle types."

Link quickly finished his second kebab and decided to question the hooded man. "What's your name?"

The man bit his lip and chuckled. "Oh now you wanna talk?"

"I'd like to know your name." Link coughed, almost choking on the Molodorm meat.

The man sighed. "I'm not sure if I want to tell you that. You're a servant. You'll go back to your king and tell him of my existence."

"King? The king is dead. Zelda is on the throne now. How long have you been out here?"

The man looked up in shock and surprise. "So old wide tide has died?"

"Wide tide? You mean King Gengo? Then yes." Link nodded as he began to work on his third and final kebab.

"How did he die?"

"I think he was poisoned, but some people acted as if it were something else. So maybe I'm wrong." Link furrowed his brow, suspicious as to why the strange man was so curious.

"Did they find out who did it?" the man asked as he ran his thumb over the small knife and then placed it back on the ground.

Link gave the man a guilty look. "They convicted me of doing it. They sent me into exile in the desert. Next thing I know I'm here with you."

The man smiled broadly and then laughed. "I'm sitting with the man who killed the king? AHAH! What an honour!"

"But I didn't do it!" Link shouted, sending pieces of meat flying into the crackling fire.

The man pouted out his lower lip and disappointment. "So you were wrongly convicted of the crime? So who do you think did it?"

Link tried to stand up to show his anger. Instead he tipped back down onto the floor. "The magician! Mihari! I know he did it! Deep in my heart I know he's guilty!"

"Mihari!?" the man now seemed distraught. "That's a name I haven't heard in a very long time. He's still alive?"

"Yes. You know him?"

"Know him? I use to teach Princess, er, I mean Queen Zelda how to shoot a bow! He use to comment on her progress the whole time!" the man divulged. "He would make her so nervous that she would screw up her shot. And then he would continue to comment on her. I use to tell him to get lost. I swore that if I ever saw him again, I would rip his tongue out and strangle him with it."

Link's ears perked up at this new information. The man taught the new queen archery, and now he was sitting out in the middle of nowhere eating monsters for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Something did not add up for Link. Usually the tutors of the royal family were of noble blood. Nobles usually didn't sit in dark crevasse, rescuing and feeding strangers.

"Who are you?" Link asked finally as he finished his final kebab.

"I suppose I owe it to you." The man sighed as he slowly pulled back his hood. "I am an expert marksman from Ordon Village. My family has lived there for generations. I am sometimes called one of 'the greatest adventurers of the modern era', but you can call me Gregor Warhawk."

Link's eyes widened as the man revealed his face in full. His eyes were a sad greyish-blue and his hair was thick and mousey brown. His face was handsome yet youthful, though he sounded as if he were in his mid-thirties. His face seemed familiar. Link swore he had seen it before in a painting in the Hall of Heroes.

"You kind of look like-

"The Hero of Twilight? Yeah, he was my great, great grandfather... I think. He was my grandfather anyway!" Gregor rolled his eyes. "Grandpa makes one friend, and suddenly my family is well taken care of for decades."

Link could not believe what he was hearing. Was the man speaking the truth or was he just lying so he could rob Link blind? Of course, Link didn't have anything be robbed of, so that option was generally out of the question.

"You want to know the story now, don't you?" Gregor chuckled. "Well, once upon a time my ancestor, the Hero of Twilight, saved Hyrule! After all was said and done and the gate to the Twilight Realm was forever destroyed, the hero and the princess became friends."

Link watched as Gregor picked up a metal stick and poked at the fire from his side. _I can't believe this._

"So, friendship eventually became what is known as sexual tension between two good friends. One day, the princess, who had become queen, asked if the hero would like to help her plan out battle strategies. Of course, the hero said yes." Gregor continued. "That sexual tension between friends blossomed to love. When the idea of the two being married came to mind shortly after, it was dismissed by the queen's councilmen and advisors. They stated the hero was not cut from the correct cloth. So instead of being married, they went for the next best thing... a secret affair!"

Link threw the kebab sticks into the fire as Gregor took a breath and continued on.

"They were lovers at a dangerous time. The queen was to be married to some lord, and the hero was married to his childhood friend. This did not stop them though. They wanted to be together." Gregor nodded. "So, the hero had children with his official wife and acted as if everything was fine and dandy. Then he would go to the castle and woo the queen. You've probably heard the rumour that the queen's children were not fathered by the man who was her official consort. Well it is very true. Therefore I am cousins with the royal family. And therefore, the queen that the hero wooed, made sure to look after the hero and his family to compensate for their affair. My family has always had jobs close to the royals ever since. The end."

Link thought he was going to faint. From what? Who knew. Perhaps it was the food? Perhaps it was his pain? But if you were sitting with someone who claimed to be related to a legendary hero and a cousin of the royal family, you would think they were crazy as well. But Link saw truth in Gregor's eyes, he saw the Hero of Twilight living on. This idea could have also made Link want to faint because he found it confusing and hard to believe.

_So this guy is distantly related to Zelda? _Link scratched his head a bit. _Why is he showing all of his cards so quickly? Is he just lonely and looking for a friend to talk to or is he trying to earn my trust and then trick me?_

Gregor moaned as he stood up and pointed to the corner. "I found that stuff near you. It might be useful. There's a sword there and a sack full of stuff. Hopefully there are some better clothes in there for you, because I don't have any extras."

Link looked down at his ratty, brown prisoner attire and then in the direction Gregor was pointing in and saw everything in order.

"Do you know how to fight?" Gregor asked bluntly.

Link shrugged. "Sort of. I'm okay with a sword. They trained us in the basics in case the castle was ever invaded. I don't know anything fancy though."

Gregor rubbed his temple dumbfounded. "Well do you know how to shoot or use a shield effectively or anything else like that?"

Link shook his head 'no'.

"You are one lucky bastard to have run into me then. I don't know how long you'd be able survive out here with just basic sword swings." Gregor laughed and crossed his arms. "You know what Link, I like you. So I think I'll help you out a bit. I'll teach you how to fight and how to survive."

It was at this moment that Link knew he had found a friend in this strange Warhawk fellow. He seemed friendly enough and he also seemed like he knew what he was doing. So Link ultimately decided that he would stick around this guy for a while. And stick around, he would. Link figured Gregor would be his best bet at living for a few more years at least.

* * *

Days went by, and those days turned into weeks. Slowly Link began to piece together the reasons behind his rescue. Gregor had told him that he had watched as outlaws ambushed the small caravan as soon as it entered the desert. The knights ran away on their horses as the wagon that carried the unconscious Link, flipped over and hid him and his belongings from any criminals.

For some reason the outlaws did not try to search the flipped wagon. Gregor assumed they were after the horses the knights were riding on, and were so upset that they forgot to look through the wagon for any supplies. Link was happy that they didn't, for Gregor divulged how the outlaws probably would have killed Link had they known he was there.

Link's leg was beginning to heal and soon he expected to be able to get out of Gregor's mysterious stronghold on his own. But for the time being, he was satisfied with knowing that he was indeed in the desert and not on the other side of the planet.

"You should be able to beginning training soon. You'll be in perfect shape for it as soon as your leg is better." Gregor would say as he would return to the stronghold every night.

It was strange because Link never knew where Gregor was coming inside from. He could not see any exits or entrances in the room.

While Gregor was gone, doing who knows what in the day, Link would often sleep and go through the brown sack he had been supplied with by that mysterious figure many nights prior. The contents were indeed everything Zelda had said they would be. From the compass to the clothes, it was all there and in order.

The clothing looked much like his polo uniform. He was yet to try it on, but he would often pull it out of the bag and look at it by torchlight. It was a green tunic, a green cap, white pants, white undershirt, chainmail, brown boots, brown gloves and a brown belt.

Link would sit on the ground and swing the sword around with wonder. It was just a standard knight's sword that was meant to be worn on the back. It was freshly sharpened and it seemed to glisten with a fabulous metallic blue colour. The sword felt good in Link's left hand, as if it were tailor made for him.

Gregor would sometimes be gone for a days it seemed, but he would always return. Link began growing restless and demanded to see action, when Gregor denied him freedom to leave, Link became frustrated. Gregor explained that Link was not yet ready to face the desert world, which was probably true.

Out of Link's frustration grew a will to train. Link spent hours on end exercising. He would begin his mornings with push-ups and sit ups. When he felt pain in his leg, he would stop and rest for a while. He would move on to finding some jagged rocks sticking out of the wall and begin doing pull-ups by gripping onto these rocks. Sometimes the rocks broke out of the wall and Link would fall to the ground and hurt himself, so this routine became rare.

Link practiced sword swings and eventually was able to master a primitive spin attack. Of course sometimes he ended up falling down at the end of the spin. Link always got right back up though and tried again. He wanted to be good enough so that one day he could return to Hyrule and defeat Mihari. For from his will to train, grew a lust for vengeance.

_I know Mihari is behind this! I just know it! I've been framed. _Link honed his focus on a small crack the wall as he tried to point his sword horizontally to line up with it. _Zelda is just going to fall into his hands like a piece of overripe fruit falling from a tree. What does he want with Zelda? What did he gain by framing me?_

Link narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. He took a few meager steps as he approached the wall and raised his sword above his head. In one quick, downward striking motion, Link slashed the wall with all his might. The sword slammed the wall, causing the small crack to grow bigger and bigger.

Link gridded his teeth as pangs of pain began to run up his leg. _I have to get stronger._

He removed the blade from the wall, dropped it on the rock floor and fell down onto his rear. He panted heavily as he gripped his leg and let out a moan. "This... this is holding me back. I'll never... ever be able to fight if I can't heal. Why do I have to be so weak?"

"You'll never be strong if you remain weak. You'll always remain weak if you remain stubborn. You must heal." Gregor's voice sighed. "You will never heal if you continue to push yourself like this. You are only making things worse."

Link was unaware of the man's presences and found himself jumping up in surprise. "Gregor!"

"I killed a Bullbo today. I was going to ask you if you could help me bring it down here, but you appear to be in no such condition." Gregor yawned. "I will do it myself."

Link scratched his chin, realizing this was the first time Gregor had ever mentioned Link leaving the compound. Link turned to see Gregor walking away into darkness. "Gregor... what do you do all day?"

Gregor stopped walking and spoke quietly. "Preparing."

Gregor then vanished into the darkness, leaving Link alone to question the man's motives one more time.

"Preparing? Preparing for what?" Link murmured as he pulled himself to his feet. "He's hiding something."

* * *

**Review! We're moving on along now kiddies! **


	13. Reigning in Rain

**Act 13: _Reigning in Rain_**_**  
**_

It rained in Hyrule every day for two months. Sometimes it rained a little, other days it poured buckets. And as the rain fell down, Zelda found herself slowly and then quickly taking on more and more queenly duties. Day in and day out it seemed that she was sitting in her throne room and hearing pleads of hundreds of people. Some wanted financial aid, others wanted a piece of royal land, some wished for a royal visit, and some had rather stupid requests.

For example; Zelda was forthcoming in her opinions on brothels and prostitution. She believed women should be able to have better chances to garner money, so she wished to see brothels closed down and prostitution made illegal. And as such she was trying to put more money into education and push the importance of it onto her people. One day a man purposed that they build a palace of prostitution on the road towards Kakariko Village. This request was easily denied and the man was removed from the queen's sight.

Because the queen was so busy, she had not had time to review her list of underlings. She usually forgot about going over her lists. So, good old Mihari the magician stayed by the queen's side longer than anyone had expected.

Mihari could not complain, this was what he wanted. He of course wanted more, but this would have to do. Zelda had actually stopped pushing Mihari away, and was beginning to call upon him again to do things for her. This was not her choice, her advisors had become incompetent for some reason and Zelda would often be too tired to go through her daily reports and papers at night. Mihari would offer to do some of the queen's work to pick up the slack and Zelda couldn't say no to help.

And so the rain fell as Zelda's reign lengthened. If the rain did not let up, Hyrule's crops would surely be doomed. And doomed they were to be.

Reports flew into the royal offices like migrating birds. Ordona Province was hit the hardest. Ordona was often seen as the farming province and Hyrule counted on it to supply a large portion of food to the kingdom. Without that food supply, prices were bound to rise, riots were bound to break out and poverty was bound to happen.

Zelda couldn't stand the idea of people starving in the streets of the towns and villages they called home. She was beside herself as to what to do. Hyrule often counted on itself for food, and it never accepted imported rations from outside empires. Zelda refused to be the first monarch to ask for aid from another kingdom. She feared Hyrule would no longer been seen as a pillar of strength that could always care for its own people. She feared the Vidish would capitalize on Hyrule's impending food shortage by unfairly marking up exports. She feared that with her armies growing hungry and eventually weakened, the rowdy colonies would invade. Zelda feared for her kingdom and her people. She knew that it was all on her decisions.

And then there was Mihari again standing by her side with his smug smile and his hands folded gracefully behind his back. "Perhaps I could tell her majesty a good plan before parents have to eat their own young?"

"Oh, and what is that?" Zelda would reply.

"Give me three days with full control over your kingdom and I will fix everything."

"Only in your dreams!"

"It will be easy. You sit on the throne while I do all the political things."

"Why don't you just tell me what to do?"

"You will not agree with me. Give me three days in control and I will fix your kingdom! I promise!"

Every time the conversation came up, Zelda grew more and more tired from her constant struggle. She knew it would not be long before she gave into Mihari's demands. Mihari knew this as well of course. What Mihari planned to do with those three days was up in the air. Zelda's strong, young mind refused to cave to Mihari's wishes. Those who are strong for too long always weaken; this had become the rule of thumb in Hyrule.

* * *

There was not a day that went by that Zelda did not find the time to think about Link. What was he doing? Was he fairing well in the desert? Was he even still alive? Zelda didn't understand why she could not stop thinking about her ex-kitchen boy. But she eventually realized the truth; Zelda had shipped off her only friend and confidant and now she was alone. She had never felt such loneliness until this point. She did not realize what this new feeling of emptiness was until she began to reflect upon herself and the people she was surrounded by.

Everywhere she looked; Zelda was surrounded by fake smiles and fabricated friendships. The only thing her entourage had in mind was getting up higher on the social ladder. Zelda caught wind of these motives very early on, but she felt that if she at least tried to surround herself with people, that she could put up a front to her public. She wanted her public to believe that she was encircled by friends and that she was not some lonely recluse. Zelda had become obsessed with what her people thought of her.

On the streets of Castle Town, the young queen had a high approval rating. Crime had decreased, taxes had slightly lowered and more jobs were beginning to pop up. Many citizens of Castle Town praised the queen on such feats so early in her reign, and were surprised that she had begun to make a difference in the kingdom. Many people had no clue that the queen was beginning to suffer from the curse that was infinite power.

As Zelda tried to sort out the food shortage problem, suitors began arriving at the castle daily.

"This is the last thing I need right now. Send them away!" Zelda would bellow to her advisors as she scribbled on papers on her desk. "I don't need a husband! What I need is a miracle!"

"If you have a husband, you can have a little miracle of your own..." one of the advisors interjected.

Zelda repeated the statement in her head before she realized the advisor was talking about children. "I'm still a child myself! The last thing I want is a child and a lazy oaf of a husband who holds the title of king. Get out of my sight and send the suitors away!"

"But your majesty, one of them is one your father really liked!"

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "What my father liked has no power in my reign. Now go."

The advisors would always rush away and leave the queen to her work. Mihari was never far away, as usual. He would often sneak in after the advisors had left and begin to badger the queen.

"Oh your majesty, you look absolutely ravishing today! Are those earrings from the royal collection?" Mihari ran a cold finger up the side of Zelda's cheek and flicked the golden Triforce shaped earring that dangled from her left ear.

Zelda's eyes widened and intensified. She gripped the quill pen in her right hand as a chill crawled up her spine. The way Mihari dragged his boney finger across her smooth, young face made her want to vomit.

Zelda's lip trembled in emotional disgust as she quickly smacked Mihari's hand away from her face. "Yes they are! What can I do for you, Mihari?"

Mihari examined his right hand and began to take the long white glove off out of boredom. "Mmm, your majesty must know by now that the food shortage is inevitable. I just got back from Ordon Village and I must say, either it looks that pathetic all the time, or they are in some serious trouble."

Zelda felt her ears twitch at Mihari's last sentence. She had sent scouts to Ordon and had received letters but no statements were this blunt. "Continue..."

"Oh goddesses, your majesty, it is awful! Their fields are nothing more than acres upon acres of muddy wasteland. Their personal vegetable patches are just large puddles of muck. The creek that runs through the village has overflowed and the water is about two feet deep. The pond has incredibly high water levels that are also beginning to flood out the town. People are beginning to pack up their things and leave before the whole town is underwater!"

Zelda let out a small gasp and gently placed her hand over her mouth. "Is this all true?"

"Yes! I have seen it with my own eyes! If you do not believe me, several knights will also recite a similar report."

The young queen's face was petrified. People were now being forced out of their homes. People were being forced to relocate. How did it come to this?

Mihari flicked his snow white hair and licked his lips. "Whatever shall we do your majesty?"

Zelda put the feather pen on the desk and took a deep breath. "I wish to see it for myself. The people are starting to lose faith, but they must know that their queen is with them."

Mihari shook his head violently. "Your majesty must not leave! It is too dangerous! Why, the roads out of the Castle Town are nothing but muddy trails. Hyrule Field has been overwatered and the grassy plains have turned into nothing but swampy pastures. Outlaws are moving inward and are capitalizing on the helplessness of travelers."

Zelda ran her fingers through her hair nervously. "Outlaws, you say?"

"Yes! They are majorly coming from the desert. They are robbing people blind! They first say that they will help guide people and come off as friendly, and then they hold people up, threaten to kill them, and then rob them of any goods that may be of use. People who are trying to leave villages like Ordon that have packed up most of their worldly possessions are prime targets for the scum of the earth!"

Zelda stood up from behind her desk. "This is too much at one time."

"This is what being a monarch is all about!" Mihari corrected her.

The young queen rubbed her temple and tried to think of a good plan. "Mihari... tell the Captain of the Guard that until further notice, the queen wishes to increase security in Hyrule Field. Tell him that I want more patrols at all hours of the day, and if any knights see people trying to travel, that I wish for the knights to escort those people to where they have to go. Understood?"

Mihari produced a small scroll from under his poncho and grabbed a quill pen from the queen's desk. "Is this a royal decree?"

Zelda bit her bottom lip. "Yes, yes it is."

"As you wish!" Mihari licked his lips as he opened the scroll and began to scribe the queen's wishes. "Whatever the queen wishes, it shall be."

Zelda nodded as she exited her office. She needed moment to herself, she needed a moment to breathe and think about the situation as a whole. _I can't keep thinking about Link! It's putting me off task, and it's too painful. If Mihari sees that I am weakened, he'll exploit it and demand control._

"You've taken your eye off the ball, Zelda." Mihari chuckled as he finished writing out the queen's wishes and rolling the scroll back up.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" a young man's voice echoed through Mihari's secret chamber.

Mihari shushed the young man. "Quiet down. You heard what I wanted from you."

The young man with red hair swallowed hard. "How do I woo her if she doesn't even want to see me?"

"Gordo... before the king died he was dead set on you marrying his daughter." Mihari shook his head sarcastically. "He believed you had a shot with the young lady. All we have to do is arrange a meeting."

Gordo felt his stomach churn; something wasn't right with the magician. "Why do you care?"

"Don't you see? The queen is miserable and lonely! She puts up a front for people like you." Mihari's eyes widened. "If you saw her the way I do, you would see her for what she is. She is a lonely young woman who holds so much power that it makes her dizzy."

Gordo looked at his feet and at the glowing, yellow floor of Mihari's chamber. He couldn't help but feel sorry for Zelda. "Fine, I'll meet with her. But don't expect wedding bells!"

Gordo stood up and headed for the metal staircase. Mihari chuckled. "Of course not! Her majesty is too busy to plan a wedding!"

* * *

Two months flew by in the desert, much like they had in Hyrule. It never rained in the desert, and it had not rained there in nearly a century.

Link's leg had finally healed and Gregor had agreed to train him as soon as he could. From Gregor, Link would learn much. But Link learned the most when Gregor took him out into the desert for the very first time.

Link rose up through the hole in the ground and could see the Arbiter's Grounds standing menacingly in the distance as gentle, warm winds brushed through his hair. The desert was truly barren. The skies were clear and blue, but yet the skies in the distance, that hovered over Lake Hylia was dark and gloomy. Link found this very odd indeed.

"It's been like that since you got here. If the rain doesn't let up over there, Lake Hylia is gonna turn into a Zora playground." Gregor divulged as he pulled his brown hood over his head. "I'm quite surprised that the Zoras have not yet tried to build a dam upstream to slow down the rising water. Perhaps you are just full of a bad luck, hm? Or perhaps the queen is a poor decision maker."

Link noticed that the skies did not seem to darken over the desert and his eyes spoke before his mouth. This confused him.

Gregor spoke up again as he adjusted the quiver on his back. "It doesn't rain in the desert, my friend. There's a reason why it is a desert."

Link then began to focus on the Arbiter's Grounds.

Gregor noticed Link's fascination with the distant structure and spoke frankly on it. "My great, great grandfather cleared that place out, eh?"

Link nodded slowly. "Have you ever been in there?"

Gregor laughed a bit before realizing that Link was serious. "Yes, once. It was deteriorated when the Hero of Twilight went through it; so imagine what it was like when I went in there. You could barely find stable ground to walk on. It's very dangerous in there. I could barely make it through the first few rooms. I had to turn around and leave because I realized it would be an impossible task to carry out by oneself. You'd need to lead an expedition of you wanted to go through the whole place."

Link squinted his eyes as he took his gaze off of the Arbiter's Grounds and looked out onto the Gerudo Mesa. "What were you doing in there anyway?"

"Looking for something..." Gregor divulged. "Anyway, shall we get going?"

"What do you mean _something_?" Link gave the older man a most suspicious and curious look.

Gregor bit his lower lip. "Treasure."

Link's eyes widened in wonder at the idea of there being a lost treasure in the Arbiter's Grounds. Perhaps this is why Gregor wanted Link to stick around; he wanted Link to aid him in this quest for this treasure.

"What kind of treasure?" Link asked.

Gregor ignored Link's question as he scouted out into the distance using a telescope. "That area over there looks good. I think that's going to be our goal today."

Link gave Gregor a mixed up look as he tried to see where Gregor was looking. He then looked down at the large hole in the ground that he had climbed out of. "Gregor what is this place?"

Gregor put the telescope away and looked down into the hole that lead to the stronghold. "It use to be the Cave of Ordeals. When Laertes wanted to colonize the desert this was the type of structure the king wanted to base his colonies on. The rest of the cave was closed off after an accident with explosives. Only the first chamber is now open and safe, that is where you were. Shall we get going?"

Link merely nodded, deciding to not waste any more time. He could see Gregor was growing tired of his inquiries.

Gregor led Link from the hole in the ground on out into the open desert. Link was now dressed in the clothing Zelda had supplied him with and now wore the sword on his back. The point green cap blew sideways in the wind as he and Gregor crossed the mesa.

"Dressed up like that, you look like my ancestor." Gregor laughed as the pair vanished into the desert's blowing sands.

* * *

**Review please :D**


	14. Bandits

_(A/N: It's my very last fanfiction chapter of the year! Best wishes to you and yours in 2013! –Infamous 12/31/12)_

* * *

**Act 14: _Bandits_**_**  
**_

Link followed Gregor for miles it seemed. The strange man seemed to have a certain area where he wished to be by a certain hour.

Link could feel the sweater sitting on his face and dripping down his back. He felt like a Goron sitting in a hot spring. As Link battled his perspiration, he saw that Gregor was not bothered at all by the heat.

Gregor carried a strong wooden bow in his left hand, as if he knew he would be attacked and would need a way to protect himself quickly. He had a gladius sword hidden under his brown cape, attached to his belt on the left side. The sheathed blade gently swung back and forth with every step Gregor took.

Link watched Gregor most of the time, as Gregor walked nearly ten feet ahead of him. Every now and again Gregor would yell back to see if Link was okay, but for the most part they had a silent journey.

Every so often, Gregor would stop walking, pull out his telescope and make a quick survey of the area. Link assumed he was look for any threats in the distance, but was not positive of it.

The area in which they traveled was densely populated by large sand dunes and rock formations. Gregor gave the area a suspicious glance as Link caught up to him.

"We're in dodgy territory. I thought you'd like to know that." Gregor called back to Link. "Try to keep quiet. There are a lot of hideouts hidden in these hills. Expect the unexpected."

Link gave Gregor a disgruntled look. "What kind of hideouts?"

Gregor gave Link a sober glare before speaking. "What kind of hideouts do you think? The hideouts of criminal outlaws, that's what! They usually have scouts perched around here, but I can't find any. That bothers me."

Link gave his friend a worried look. Gregor knew a lot about the desert, and this seemed bizarre to Link. "How long have you been out here?"

Gregor kneeled down and readied his bow. "For about a decade. Now get down, I saw something over that ridge. If my hunch is correct, you're going to see some action today."

Link complied as he got down on one knee and drew his sword. The sword reflected the sunlight like a mirror and shone into Gregor's eyes.

"No swords until combat!" Gregor hissed. "They'll see this light being reflected at them and know there is someone down here."

Link put the sword back into its sheath and nodded. "Oh, right. But, they probably all ready know we are here."

Gregor furrowed his brow. "Listen, I want you to go up over that ridge and see if there is anyone up there or on the other side. I'm the archer, so I'll stay back to back you up from afar."

Link's face became grave and nervous. "Are you serious?"

"You'll be fine. If things get sticky, I'll cut in." Gregor nodded. "Now go."

Gregor waved Link away. Link swallowed hard as he slowly began to march towards the skyline that was hidden behind the small ridge. He could feel his heavy brown boots sinking into the sand with each step as the sun beamed down on him.

Link began to scale the sandy ridge. The sweat was no longer pouring out of him, as he realized that he was so hot that his body would not produce sweat. Every now and again he would look back to see Gregor looking at him strangely.

Link tumbled up the hill as sand began to fill his leather gloves that had been soaked with sweat from his palms. The sand had entered his boots somehow as well, making walking uncomfortable.

He then saw the other side of the ridge. He slammed down onto his stomach as soon as he saw several men and women walking around in the area below. There were a number of horses tied up to wooden stakes in the ground. There were small shelters and tents also set up in the clearing. It appeared that Link and Gregor had stumbled upon a gang.

Link looked back to Gregor and waved for him to come up the hill. After giving him a mixed up look, Gregor complied and rushed up to Link's side.

"Ah?" Gregor slammed onto his stomach and pulled out his telescope to get a look at the gang. "Looks like the Kakariko Bandits. It wouldn't surprise me if it was them. They're a big group with a lot of offshoots. A lot of outlaws out here are from Kakariko and the Eldin Province."

"Okay, so they're the Kakariko Bandits... what does that mean?"

"It means... we could get into a whole lot of trouble if we chose to tango with them. Like I said, they're a big group with a lot of offshoots... they could track us for months and always be right on our tail." Gregor put the telescope back into his cloak and bit his lip. "So, what do you want to do, Link?"

Link raised his eyebrows surprised. "If they're trouble, I want to stay away."

"But don't you want a horse?" Gregor pointed at steeds. "Do you know what they're worth? If we rounded all of those horses up, we could be rolling in rupees!"

Link gave his friend an uneasy expression. "But if they're gonna chase us down for months, it's not worth it."

"I've been through worse."

Link looked at the horses and realized that they would be an ideal mode of transportation, especially in the desert were Link had been traversing by foot. "How many do you want to take?"

"Atta boy!" Gregor laughed. "I want all of them... but I suppose we could settle with two, one for you and one for me. If we can get three, we can sell the one for mounts of rupees."

Link nodded solemnly. Gregor took this as Link's final answer. This would be Link's first time stealing anything, and he had a feeling that it would not be his last.

* * *

Zelda sat on the right side of her bed, lost in thought. Yes, this was her father's old room that had been redone to suit her needs; this detail also chilled her to the bone. She looked up to see one of the fantasy paintings her father had commissioned of her unborn brother, Darius.

The painting was of a handsome young man riding away on horseback from Castle Town. Underneath, engraved in gold it said "Darius, Future King of Hyrule". Zelda cringed every time she read this text. She always wanted to take the painting down because she knew her father yearned for a son, and Zelda was not even close to being a boy. Yet she still kept it up for one reason or another. She couldn't justify taking the piece of art down, nor could she give good reason for leaving it up.

Zelda stood up and grabbed the painting's frame and began to lift it off the wall. Today she decided that she would in fact remove this painting from her room, it was indeed too haunting. As she placed the picture on the floor and leaned it against the wall she saw a small safe now exposed. _This was behind that picture the whole time?_

She placed her gloved hand onto the lock and saw that she would need a key. "How interesting..."

Zelda dropped her hand to her side and scanned the room. "Now, where would the key be?"

The young queen tapped her chin curiously as she remembered something she could never forget. Zelda had some control of magic. He father possessed no such power, nor did her mother. Zelda inherited something that was mostly common in the females in the royal line. It was never defined why royal women were often blessed with such gifts, it was a secret that had been lost in time. It was something that often made Zelda feel like a freak, it was something she liked to hide. But on this occasion Zelda realized that perhaps her royal genetics were not so much a curse as she had once assumed.

Young Zelda merely rested her hand on the small steel vault and closed her eyes. "There will be no secrets in my castle, especially in my own room."

* * *

Zelda's statement of course of no avail, as Mihari harboured a number of secrets in the castle, including his private chamber.

Mihari was dancing around his glowing yellow room like a child who had fooled their parents. He sang a happy little jingle as he boogied his way across the glowing floor. _"Oh, the queen can be awful mean, but she'll never defeat me! No, she thinks she has some wit, but I will throw her in the pit! For she had a kitchen boy, who would have me destroyed, so I framed him and that was my greatest ploy!"_

Suddenly the dark magician stopped his dancing and singing and stood still for a moment. "I wonder how much longer I should keep that rain going. My, we could have some serious problems if the queen remains stubborn. Maybe I should throw in a tornado for good measure? Yes? No? Maybe so? Hm, decisions, decisions."

Mihari licked his lips as he cracked his knuckles. "I wonder if she can even think of a way to solve a problem like this. Hm... it would be a most interesting thing indeed if she could. But I will not allow her the chance. I will break her down and I will gain control of her throne."

Mihari inhaled deeply before speaking again. "I think I will send a tornado to Kakariko tomorrow. Yes, that sounds good. I've already flooded Ordon, so I'm running out of options."

The magician then returned to his dancing and singing. _"Oh, there once was a girl named Zelda, who was smitten with a poor young fella. When the king was dead, it was off with his head! But his true sentence made you mad as hell-ah!"_

* * *

"How are you going to do this?" Link asked as he and Gregor looked down upon the outlaw gang in the sandy valley below.

Gregor laughed. "Correction... how are _we_ going to do this?"

Link gave Gregor a wayward expression and then nodded.

"Right then. If it was night time I would opt for silent assassination, but we don't have the cover of the moon. So, I think we should start a little chaos and make them scramble. While they're all freaking out, we can just run in and take the horses and ride away. They'll think the horses just got loose and ran away." Gregor grinned.

Link watched as one of the male outlaws sat down in the sand and began smoking a pipe. "Okay, what kind of chaos do you want?"

"How about a fire?"

Link nodded again. "But how are you going to start-

Before Link could finish his sentence, Gregor had pulled an arrow out of his quiver and readied his bow. He pulled a small matchbook out of his cloak and handed it to Link. "Light the arrowhead and get ready to rumble."

Link quickly struck a match and carefully lowered it to the arrowhead. The point burned with a fabulous orange and yellow as Gregor took aim at one of the tents. He then released the arrow from the bow and sent it flying towards its target.

The tent immediately caught fire and turned into a small inferno. The gang members shouted and yelled in shock. They were in the desert and did not have accesses to a lot of water, therefore putting out the blaze would be impossible without wasting their water supply. They scattered and tried to rescue whatever good they could.

Link and Gregor ran across the ridge, slid down the sandy hillside, cut loose two horses and mounted them.

The gang were so focused on saving their things they didn't even notice the two men stealing their horses.

Gregor then realized they would have time to cut more horses free but as he jumped off of his white horse and over to one the black ones, one of the outlaws spotted him.

"Warhawk?" cried out the outlaw. "Warhawk! You cheating son of a bitch! Where are my rupees? What are you doing with my horses? What are you doing here?"

Gregor swallowed hard as Link called out for him. "Gregor, we gotta go! Leave the others!"

The other outlaws began to turn their attention to Link and Gregor in shock and awe. One of the female gang members shouted this time "Warhawk? You did this, didn't you!?"

Gregor nodded quickly as he remounted the white horse and took off with Link, deeper into the desert.

"Warhaaaaaaaaaaaaaawk!" Screamed the gang members. "You'll burn for this!"

Link knew there was more to Gregor than just what he saw. He knew Gregor was an experienced thief of some sort. The Kakariko Bandits said he owed them rupees, and he seemed to know a lot about those specific criminals. _Why wouldn't I be surprised if Gregor was a criminal?_

And so, the two men ran away, deeper into the desert. Link knew little of where he was going, but he continued to follow Gregor into the infinite skyline of the desert. Link felt a sinking feeling in his heart as he and his friend traveled further. He could not define what it was, but he knew it would have a meaning very soon.

* * *

Zelda stared into the dark, metal vault that had been hidden behind her unborn brother's portrait. It was now open and Zelda was free to do as she pleased with whatever the contents may have been.

She carefully reached into the darkness and lowered her hand, expecting to feel the bottom of the safe. Instead she touched what felt like rough leather. She dragged her fingers across the rough surface and felt a buckle.

Zelda squinted her eyes slightly at the touch of the object as she slid it out of the safe and into the light. It appeared to be a brown, leather bound notebook that was locked together with a leather strap that weaved through a small silver buckle.

Zelda held the book in both hands and looked down on what appeared to be the royal seal. She ran her finger over the indentation in the leather with a certain amount of wonder on her face.

The young queen quickly looked up at the braced door that connected her room to the hallway to make sure it was indeed locked. Like a child sneaking a peak at their birthday presents Zelda bit her lip nervously as she undid the silver buckle and opened the notebook.

The very first page had only a line of ink writing on it. But the line that was on it, spoke wonders.

_Property of Queen Zelda VI_

Zelda widened her eyes and held her breath. Zelda's ancestor, Queen Zelda VI who took over the throne in the Twilight Era had written what appeared to be a diary.

Young Zelda was unsure if she should indeed read the journal. She pondered about just putting the diary back into the safe and forgetting about its existence. No, this book was far too important to be forgotten. Zelda VI was seen as a mysterious woman, and no one knew a lot about her. Young Zelda felt that it would be a crime to leave the notebook in the vault until one of her own descendants discovered it.

So Zelda opened the next page and began to do what millions of people around the world do daily, read.

* * *

**Please review and tell me what you think. Your predictions, comments, praises, questions, constructive criticisms, support and everything in between are all valued. **


	15. Secrets of the Past

_(A/N: What better way to start 2013 than with a new chapter! Yes, I got bored and decided to pen this one for you in a day. I just realized how long this story is going to be. Holy crap. All your support is valued as it will help me push myself on through this story. –Infamous 1/1/13)_

* * *

**Act 15: **_**Secrets of the Past**_

The notebook was a treasure trove of information. It gave Zelda a gateway to the past. Zelda realized that she could learn so much about not only her family, but how people in Hyrule might have lived over a century ago.

Her eyes scrolled the pages, seldom of which were left blank. The late queen appeared to have been an avid writer and a very good critical thinker.

Zelda's eyes stopped on one page in particular. It was not too far into the book, but not too early either. The entry was like something out of a pre-teen romance novel.

* * *

_I saw him again today. I don't know what it is that I'm feeling but it is quite surreal._

_He came to the castle to discuss security tactics with my generals. He really is quite a brilliant and courageous man, any woman would be lucky to have him._

_Who am I kidding? He has his that friend back in Ordon. He sees more of her than he sees of me, so of course she'd be his..._

_I have decided that I will tell him how I feel... eventually. Once I figure out how I feel, that is when I'll tell him. Yes, that is when I will tell him._

_-Zelda_

* * *

Young Zelda raised her eyebrows at this entry. Zelda VI was often seen a very stoic, responsible, intelligent and respected leader, never in a million years would one expect the esteemed queen to have been nothing more than a woman in love, most surely not. Monarchs were not seen as ordinary people, so the fact a legendary queen had bared her soul down on paper came as a shock to young Zelda.

Through the shock the young queen decided to read more. Then she flipped ahead a bit in the book this time.

* * *

_I have finally told him how I feel, and I must tell you that he says he feels the same. He even tried to kiss me! Me! _

_I'm too shy so I turned away... I wish I hadn't. He said that perhaps I am not shy, but afraid..._

_Maybe he is right, maybe I am afraid. I am afraid for him and what would happen to him if people found out about us. Could we ever be together? It wouldn't be allowed._

_I cannot stop thinking about him, I must see him again. I have sent a letter to Ordon, via one of my most trusted ladies-in-waiting, inviting him to the castle. I must be discrete. He must be discrete. We all must be discrete._

_-Zelda_

* * *

Zelda could stop herself at this point, she wanted to read on. As if reading a novel or a work of fiction, Zelda turned the pages again and again, fascinated by the once mystifying queen. Zelda knew she was the very first person in years to ever understand Zelda VI, and it was all thanks to the little brown book.

* * *

_We have been seeing each other in secret for nearly three years now. He married that friend of his in Ordon and they are expecting their first child. I feel just awful doing this. He has a wife and is going to be a father!? I make myself sick. He says that his wife will not find out and that it truly is me he loves above all else._

_There must be some sort of compensation I can provide for his family. I feel terrible. I am the "other woman". I will have to think of something._

_We can never officially be together. We're from two different worlds. I love him dearly as he does me. I will not give up on this, and I know he feels the same._

_-Zelda_

* * *

"So it was all true. You and the hero..." Zelda chuckled as she turned the pages again.

* * *

_I'm engaged now, to a lord. He's not the greatest man, especially compared to my hero, but I need a consort and my hero cannot take that role._

_My hero now has two children with his wife, two little girls. I'm still working on a form of compensation._

_He still visits me regularly after five years together. Honestly, we've been together for so long I sometimes forget that we aren't married._

_He was quite upset when I told him of my engagement (and that he was invited to the wedding). I told him it is what I had to do for my country. He calls it "taking one for the team"._

_It will make no difference as to what he chooses to call it. I will be wed to Lord Erik in two weeks time. In such I realize I am sacrificing my own happiness for the good of my people. This is what being queen is all about... I guess._

_-Zelda_

* * *

Young Zelda closed the book for a moment. It was pretty confirming the late queen's affair. Zelda expected there to be a part when Zelda VI became pregnant with the hero's children, but she had not yet reached that part yet.

"This is a private diary, what am I doing?" Zelda murmured. "But is it really private if the writer is dead?

Zelda looked at the book one last time and then returned her eyes to the safe in the wall. What else was in this little dark crypt of history? Had her father or anyone else in the family ever opened it?

She reached into the safe one more time and felt a stack of parchment. _What's this?_

She again dragged the contents into the light and examined them. It was a large bundle of letters still in their envelopes. They were tied together with a piece of string.

Zelda untied the knot and discarded the string onto a nearby table along with the journal. Zelda stood over the oak table, took one letter from the middle of the stack in her hand the put the rest of the pile onto the table with the other items.

She then realized that these letters had indeed been opened but they had been neatly placed back into their respected packaging.

She ran her thumb over the envelope's lip, causing it to open gently. The old, yellowed parchment inside was folded up neatly as she pulled it out of its paper tomb. She placed the empty envelope onto the table and then unfolded the letter inside.

Zelda was surprised to see the letter in the unfolded state. It appeared to be coffee stained and ripped on the sides. It was also yellowed by time. The ink was still legible though.

* * *

_Dearest Zelda,_

_It has been too long since we last saw each other. I apologize for this. I have received all of your letters and read them in great detail. I have just not had time to write to you. Ilia has just given birth to our third child. It's a boy, just like you predicted. I don't know how you do it, but you must be physic. This only proves how special you really are._

_Do not fret about this so called "empire" that you have just began to come into contact with. Their threats are empty, they're nothing compared to Hyrule. They would be foolish to challenge the queen._

_I agree that we must see each other again, as I miss you so very much. You said you had something important to tell me and could only tell me in person, I cannot wait to hear it. I cannot wait to hear your voice again. I cannot wait to feel your touch again._

_Your love,_

_-Mr. Hero_

* * *

Young Zelda was baffled. This was a stack of love letters from the Hero of Twilight? Zelda wanted to read another one desperately. She felt like she was watching a theatre production playing out right before her eyes.

She put the letter back into the envelope and put it aside. She chose one from the top of the pile this time and did the same ritual that she had for the first letter.

* * *

_Dearest Zelda,_

_I know you have asked me to stop writing these letters as it is too dangerous, but I just can't. I can't let you go Zelda. I have been in dangerous situations before so don't tell me about danger. _

_I know sometimes we may not see much of each other but I love you very much. You're the only one I want and desire._

_I work hard so I can afford the supplies needed in traveling to the castle to see you. Not because I have to, but because I have deliberately chosen to._

_I can't shower you with gifts as I don't have a lot of money, but I hope that my love is enough for you. _

_You make me happy, and sometimes I wonder if I even deserve someone as wonderful as you. I know you say that you aren't that special and sometimes you talk yourself down, but I truly believe you are one of the single greatest things in the world and I want you to let me prove that to you._

_I am coming to the castle next week no matter what you say._

_With love,_

_-Mr. Hero (as you like to call me)_

* * *

Zelda's young eyes widened in wonder. She felt her heart pitter-patter a bit in reading the hero's letters. She felt like he was addressing her, and not her ancestor. I suppose that is what happens when you use the same name.

Zelda read a few more letters before putting them away and retying the string around the bundle. She carefully placed the letters and the notebook back into the vault and quietly closed the door. She gently placed the fantasy portrait of Darius back on the wall and nodded once it was leveled.

She dusted her gloved hands off before smiling sweetly and walking towards her door. "Okay, back to work. I can read more tonight, before I go to bed."

As Zelda left her room quietly and exited into the hallway she thought to herself. _I wonder what she wanted to tell him in person. I bet the answers are in that journal of hers. Oh, this is so romantic!_

* * *

After riding around the desert for hours, Link and Gregor had finally stopped in the middle of nowhere. It was emptiness as far as the eye could see. It was a never ending plain of sand.

"Now what?" Link inquired as he tried to drink the last bit of saliva out of his mouth.

Gregor peered through his telescope and surveyed the area once more. "Now, we dig."

Link gave Gregor a confused look. "Dig? Dig for what? What are going to even dig with?"

Gregor sighed and dismounted his horse. He pulled an arrow out of his quiver and loaded it into his bow. The arrow began to glow with a fabulous, magical yellow as Gregor aimed at the ground and then released the arrow.

The arrow slammed into the sand and for a moment there was silence.

"What was that?" Link asked.

"Wait for it..." Gregor hushed.

Suddenly the sand vanished like it was a mirage. It revealed a large hole in the ground.

Link rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "What is this?"

"You ask a lot of questions." Gregor laughed as he jumped down into the hole. "Everything is down here. C'mon down."

Link dismounted his horse and mumbled. "Yeah, well you don't answer many."

Link followed the strange man into the pit. He dropped down inside and saw that there was a tunnel with wooden and cement enforcement blocks holding it up. "Wow."

"Get a shovel and a pick and whatever else off that rack over there and follow me." Gregor patted Link on the back and directed him towards a wooden rack that was full of mining supplies. "No bombs though! If you value your life you won't use them."

Link complied and took a shovel in one hand and a pick axe in the other and followed Gregor into the darkness of the tunnel. "What is this place, Gregor?"

Gregor lit a lantern and began to march forward into the tunnel. "A tunnel system, built by Laertes' men back in the days of colonization. To avoid traversing the hot desert they created a system of tunnels that connected to the corners of the desert. One of these tunnels leads back to the Cave of Ordeals, but as I said earlier... an explosion closed the cave off."

"Okay, so what are we doing down here?" Link questioned.

Gregor grew quiet for a moment. All that could be heard was the sound of their heavy boots clacking and clanging on the iron enforcements on the floor.

"Gregor?" Link cleared his throat.

"I'm trying to get into the Arbiter's Grounds." Gregor divulged quietly.

Link gave the back of Gregor's head a sullen stare. "The treasure..."

"Exactly." Gregor yawned. "If the treasure is as great as they say it is, then I'll be able to get myself out of this hellhole and back into society."

"And what about me?" Link asked calmly.

Gregor stopped walking and froze. "You will get your reward as well."

Link stopped behind Gregor and raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to keep walking or what?"

The air was thin in the tunnel and it reminded Link of the air in the Cave of Ordeals. It was salty and hard to inhale. The tunnel had some odd form of humidity wavering through it, as though there was water nearby.

"Gregor?" Link inquired.

Gregor's head bobbed down quickly. "Yes, let's go."

They continued down into the tunnel, deeper and deeper. Link's heart sank at Gregor's sudden mysterious nature. _What if he's just using me to get into the Arbiter's Grounds? After he gets what he wants he'll ditch me. No, I can't think like that... this is all I have in my life right now._

* * *

"Dearest Zeldaaaaaaaaa!" Mihari's sultry voice called through her bedroom door. "Your majesty?"

Of course by this time, Zelda had gone to her throne room to get on with her daily audiences. Mihari probably knew this well, but wished only to see what the young queen was doing in her room for such a long period of time.

The magician banged on the door one more time before forcing it open. "Oh, she's not here. Oh well."

Mihari walked into the queen's chamber and did not see anything out of the ordinary. He was about to give up and turn around and that was when he saw it.

"_Darius, Future King of Hyrule_?" Mihari laughed wholeheartedly. "Honestly, why does she keep this up? Does it not upset her or is she just stupid?"

Thinking he was doing the young queen a favour, Mihari grabbed the painting by the frame and lifted it off the wall. He looked on the picture and chuckled. "It really is quite a tacking piece. Gengo had no taste."

He then looked up and that was when he saw it; the safe in the wall.

Mihari's eyes widened in surprise and he leaned the painting against the wall and examined the vault. "My, my, my, what do we have here? Little Zelda keeping secrets?"

Before Mihari could work his magic and open the safe without the key he heard footsteps in the hallway along with lively chatter. "The chambermaids! Dammit! I will have to do this another time."

Mihari lifted the painting back up and placed it on the wall and then leveled it out. The bedroom door swung open and three young maids stumbled in to see Mihari fixing the painting.

"Oh, Mihari... what are you doing here?" the ginger maid asked nervously.

Mihari looked down upon the three maids and tried to make himself look tall. "Her majesty has asked that I arrange this picture to be taken down. I came to examine the painting so I could know how much room would be needed for it on the wall in the royal collection room."

The chambermaids looked at each other and nodded, accepting this answer. They did not want to question Mihari the magician after all. They may have been unintelligent and uneducated but they valued having their heads mounted on their shoulders.

Mihari exited the queen's room and jogged down the hallway in anger. _Damn maids! I was so close too! I must know what is in that vault!_

* * *

**Review my pretties! I wanted to leave you in suspense about the diary for a few days, but boredom got the better of me and I personally wanted to write this chapter really badly.**


	16. Close Calls

**Act 16: **_**Close Calls**_

Gregor had led Link to a dead end of the tunnel. It had appeared to be caved in with rocks, sand and dirt. Gregor explained that the part of the tunnel that went into the Arbiter's Grounds was closed off for some reason several decades prior. Gregor would not explain why the tunnel was purposely sealed, he just told Link to get to work.

It had appeared that the rock wall had been picked away at quite a bit over the years. Whether this was all Gregor's work, Link did not know, but he assumed it was. Gregor was desperate to get into the Arbiter's Grounds and it appeared that he had unraveled while digging alongside Link. Madness was setting in.

Madness is defined as a form of lunacy, insanity or craziness. All of which described Gregor as the chucks of rocks flew through the air by flickering torchlight.

"Dig faster! You must strike harder Link!" Gregor would murmur. "We're so close I can just taste the treasure!"

Link would just continue with his mining efforts. Link knew there is nothing more dangerous than a madman chasing treasure.

How did Gregor fall so far? Well, my friend, you must know that Gregor had developed some acting skills; acting skills that he used to mask his insanity. Like most people who have a mental illness and do not want others to know of it, Gregor put up a front. Once he was back at the root of his madness, he returned to that dark place in his mind.

"Gregor... how long have you been at this?" Link asked as he heaved the pick axe down into the rocks.

Gregor did not answer, and instead continued to shovel pebbles and dirt out of the way.

"Months? Years?" Link added.

Gregor's eyes were intense as his pupils darted around. It was as if he had become some sort of reptile. "Less talk. More digging!"

Link of course kept at it. He was afraid he'd be hit over the head with Gregor's shovel if he stopped.

_I guess that means he's been here for years then. _Link furrowed his brow as he continued to strike away at the rocks. _I remember hearing about friends searching for treasure up near Death Mountain. It drove them crazy and they became paranoid. One night one of the friends strangled the other in their sleep because he thought his friend was stealing his share in the night. That guy was killed in an eruption the next morning. I guess karma got him. Treasure and riches sure do strange things to people. I sure hope they haven't done anything too strange to Gregor, or I'm in trouble. _

"We're so close! I bet we could be on the other side by dawn!" Gregor was practically drooling as he stopped shoveling and then began to bang the rocks with a pick axe.

Link stole a glance at his mad friend before continuing with his work. _What time is it anyway?_

* * *

The wind had started to crash and whip the trees in Hyrule. Many branches had fallen or been blown onto the roads. All of this happened as the rain continued to pour.

Zelda sat in her throne room hearing her last pleads of the day. Behind the dark clouds the sun was beginning to set, and Zelda's eyes were beginning to droop.

"Good show today, your majesty. Smashing job!" praised one of her advisors as she exited the throne room after finishing her last audience of the day. "You will be a great queen before you know it. You know, you have naturally put yourself into this role, it is a beautiful thing, truly marvelous!"

Zelda rolled her eyes and yawned. "Chaz... that is enough. You are dismissed. Please send my kindest regards to your wife. I know Lucinda is probably worried about you."

The advisor gave the queen a surprised look. "Oh, thank you your majesty. I will."

Yes, Zelda had taken the time to learn about the people around her. She had learned their names, their age, their material statuses, if they had children what their names were and so on and so forth. Zelda thought it would be best to know such things just in case. That, and she wanted to feel connected to her underlings and she wanted them to feel connected to her.

Zelda had retired to her room once more after a long day of queenly duties. To her room and back to her ancestor's diary and letters.

She rushed into her room, and locked the door quickly. Like a child, Zelda was thrilled to open the vault again and revisit the past.

After closing the safe back up and hanging the picture back on the wall; she sat on the side of her bed and began to go through the papers again. She turned to a random page in the diary and began to read once more.

* * *

_I fear the worst. My husband, Erik was on a hunting trip and my hero came to see me again. He stayed in the castle for a number of days in secret. He told his wife that he was here to help with battle strategies and would return to her when his job was done._

_It was days of sheer ecstasy to say the least. But now I am afraid._

_The royal doctor has confirmed my pregnancy, and I know in my heart that the child is not Erik's at all. I've already heard the whispers and I fear my husband will find out._

_My hero has told me not to worry and that I need to act as if nothing is wrong. He said that if the child is in fact his that I will just have to raise him or her as Erik's to avoid scandal. But he wants to be involved in the child's life, especially if it is his. I am at a loss for words._

_My hero of course is actually thrilled by this news. I am a little bit happy as well. This child is the result of our love, and that is a beautiful thing in itself. But I know this is wrong for Erik believes the child is a result of __**our**__ union when it is not._

_-Zelda_

* * *

Young Zelda bit her lip and gasped. "This was when she was pregnant with Laertes. So if I flip ahead I'll probably come across the truth about Perceval, his little brother and eventual archenemy."

Yes, archenemy. I did not mention this before but I suppose I'll tell you now. Perceval fought Laertes for the right to throne many years before this. Laertes of course won the battle, and it ended with him killing his own brother in order to prevent any future uprisings.

So Zelda flipped the pages. She flipped through the royal birth of Laertes, his christening, King Ralis of the Zora's trying to make a pass at Zelda VI, King Erik almost finding out about the queen and the hero, troubles with the Vidish (turns out they'd been a problem for longer than young Zelda thought), Death Mountain erupting, Lake Hylia almost running dry and then she reached Zelda VI's second pregnancy.

* * *

_I believe that I've found a new meaning in life. I live for my son first, and my country second._

_Laertes has grown up so much in three years. I am very proud of him, even though he's still a little boy. He will be a very good king one day, I can already tell. Laertes is quite the bossy boots, that is for sure._

_I know Laertes will be a great big brother one day. Yes, I am pregnant again. I wonder if it actually is Erik's this time as I have not seen my hero in that way for a while. He has been distant and I wonder if everything is okay with him. I worry about him very much and I still love him with all my heart. _

_Every time I look at my son, I can see my hero shining though. I know Laertes belongs to him. He has the same hair and eyes as the hero, and he's certainly just as courageous as the hero as well._

_I have written my hero several times but have not received a reply. I hope he is okay and that he is well. I am still to tell him of my pregnancy._

_-Zelda_

* * *

"Perceval wasn't the Hero of Twilight's son? But I thought..." Zelda furrowed her brow. "Most of the people who believed in these tales said that both boys were the hero's children. But yet here, Zelda says that she thinks the baby is actually King Erik's. But this would explain why Laertes and Perceval fought like cats and dogs."

Zelda ran her fingers through her hair for a moment in confusion. "Maybe I should keep reading. Maybe I should read some of the letters."

Zelda darted her eyes to her left side to see the stack of aged envelopes. "I could be searching for hours through these though."

The young queen ultimately decided to continue with the late queen's notebook. She then turned the pages to when Laertes and Perceval were teenagers. This entry was quite lengthy.

* * *

_Time goes by very quickly they say. That is very true. My boys are growing up so fast. _

_Laertes is incredibly handsome, just like his father and very well loved by the people of Hyrule. I can't believe he is eighteen next week. Then again I can't believe my greying hair._

_Perceval is fifteen and a quiet boy. He likes being by himself and sometimes I wonder if he is jealous of his older brother. I try to tell him that he is loved just as much, but what can you say to a teenager? They don't listen._

_Perceval has also has recently made friends with a very odd fellow, I've never seen anything quite like this friend of his. His name is Ghirahim or something ridiculous like that. He's quite sick looking but assures us that he is not ill. He has pasty skin and white hair of all things. I don't know where my son meets these kinds of ruffians. I don't like him all that much, but at least Perceval has a friend._

_Speaking of ill, Erik, my husband, has not been well. One week he is healthy, the next week he is ill. I am worried that this is a sign of disease. I have indeed grown to love Erik and care about him a great deal, but I'll always have my hero._

_Yes, we are still involved and I still love him the most. I am still unsure if Perceval is also my hero's son. He and Laertes have similar eyes, but overall Perceval looks more like me and my family I think. Perceval looks more __**royal **__than Laertes, I suppose that is one way to say it._

_I have come up with a way of compensation for my hero's family. I want them to be able to live comfortably for many generations; therefore I have elevated his family to unofficial noble status. They will work closely with the royal family for years to come and they will be paid large sums. This is the best I can do. _

_His three daughters and two sons have become friends with my children, if only they knew that they were half-siblings. One of my hero's daughters developed a crush on Laertes, well that was not encouraged at all for obvious reasons. No incest allowed! _

_My hero also taught my boys how to ride a horse and use a sword and many other things. When he said he wanted to be part of their lives, he was not kidding. Laertes has told me that the hero is almost like a second father to him (if only he knew). _

_Speaking of my hero, we are meeting again tonight. I cannot wait._

_-Zelda_

* * *

In just a few turns of pages Zelda VI had gone from a worried monarch to a woman who was generally happy with life. Zelda VI was not a stick in the mud at all; she actually seemed to be quite a kind and fun person. In other entries, Zelda VI often credits her change in personality to the Hero of Twilight.

Zelda decided she had read enough for the evening. She knew there were a lot of questions left still. Why was the hero distant for said period of time? Who was Perceval's real father? What was it like to have your own children who you loved dearly, turn their backs on each other? And the Ghirahim fellow that befriended Perceval, what was his deal? Why did he sound so much like the magician, Mihari? Why did Zelda VI think it was of importance to mention him?

Questions burned in Zelda's young mind, but the hour was late and she was tired. So she simply put the letters and the notebook in the drawer of her nightstand as she was too lazy to take the picture down and go reopen the safe.

As Zelda got ready for bed there was a knock at the door.

"Your majesty, are you there?" Mihari's undeniable voice asked through the door.

Zelda sighed. Right when she wanted to change into her pajamas, Mihari had to march along. "Yes Mihari. What is it that you wish?"

Zelda unlocked the door and then opened it to see the magician standing in the hallway with a bouquet of flowers and a card.

"This came for you." Mihari stated as he forced the bouquet and the card onto the monarch and walked into her room and then sat down on her sofa.

"Oh, how... lovely." Zelda rolled her eyes as she abandoned the gifts on the table in the middle of her bedroom. "More gifts from the peanut gallery."

Mihari crossed his right leg over his left and waved his hand around in the air as if trying to construct a thought. "I believe those are from Gordo. He was a favourite of your father's. He would like to meet with you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Zelda tried to come up with an excuse. "But-

"I cleared your schedule. Tomorrow you have a day off." Mihari winked at her. "You're welcome."

Zelda gasped as she approached the sofa. "What do you mean a day off? Hyrule doesn't take a day off, and neither shall I!"

"What is it you wish to do tomorrow then? Try to solve your flood problems and crop failures?" Mihari chuckled. "You need a miracle for that, my dear. That or... me."

Zelda ignored his last statement. "I'll find a way to fix this."

Mihari drifted his eyes up at the painting of Zelda's unborn brother. "You know, you really should take that damn tacky thing down."

Zelda's face was blank as she followed Mihari's gaze to the portrait. "Oh."

"You're a strange lady, your majesty." Mihari stood up. "I would think something like this would bother you. It would remind you of your father's disapproval of you. Gengo was a silly man."

The magician stood in front of the painting with his arms crossed and smiled. "Would you like me to remove it right now?"

Mihari grabbed the sides of the frame gently.

"NO!" Zelda blurted out.

Mihari's ears perked up. "No? That was a pretty direct reply."

Zelda was silent.

The magician chuckled. "Ahaha, oh what? Are you hiding something behind here? Perhaps a diary with all your little crushes?"

Zelda swallowed hard. _He must know about the safe. This is too forward just to be something casual._

The young queen watched as Mihari lifted the painting off of the hook and leaned it up against the wall. He then looked at the steel vault with sarcastic surprise. "Oh my! A safe? What kind of games are you playing my dear?"

Zelda quickly rushed to Mihari's side in outrage.

"What's wrong my dear, scared I'm going to find some love letters from the kitchen boy?"

Zelda's face went red with either anger or embarrassment, I couldn't tell you which one though. I guess it was a mix of both, but I'm not sure.

"Mihari... get out." Zelda growled. "Get out now, or I will throw you out."

Mihari gave Zelda a sympathetic smile as he brushed his hand down her face. "Oh, your majesty, I only want what is best for you. We have found many safes like this in the castle and they have had... _dangerous_ things in them."

Yes, dangerous things indeed. What one could do with the type of reading material young Zelda had found could be catastrophic. One could destroy the monarchy if they really wanted to by saying the currently family did not rightfully have a claim in the throne because Laertes was an illegitimate child, and illegitimate children are not eligible for the crown. Therefore, Zelda could theoretically be kicked off the throne.

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "What kind of dangerous things?"

The magician looked to the left quickly, trying to fabricate his response. "Explosives."

Zelda pursed her lips so tight that they almost disappeared. What could she say? She knew Mihari was lying because she had been in the vault before, but she wasn't about to tell the magician that either. She didn't want Mihari snooping around though. But, one thing was indeed obvious; Zelda would have to relocate the diary and the letters. She knew if Mihari got hold of them, he'd try to use them against her.

"Explosives you say?" Zelda nodded and tried to act surprised. She decided to play dumb.

Mihari nodded. "Oh yes indeed. Here, I will have a look and see if there is anything in here. Stand back, your majesty."

Zelda stepped back a few paces. _Thank Nayru I put that stuff in the drawer when I did. Talk about good luck._

Mihari placed his hand on the safe's door in within a split second the door had been blown off its hinges and smoke filled the air.

Zelda wheezed and coughed as she waved the clouds out of her face. Mihari ignored her and stuck his head into the vault.

The young queen couldn't help but dart her eyes back to the nightstand's drawer nervously. What would have gone through one's head at the time is a total mystery because an array of things could. Zelda's mind raced so fast that she could barely count her thoughts.

"There's nothing here!" Mihari shouted in shock.

Zelda raised her eyebrows and folded her hands behind her back. "You sound surprised, Mihari."

The magician pulled his head out of the safe and stared at the queen soberly. "There's usually _something_ in them."

Zelda smiled innocently. "Well, apparently there isn't anything in this one."

Mihari narrowed his eyes sharply and clicked his tongue. "Right then; and there never will be. I'll take this painting with me and have it placed elsewhere. That way we can keep an eye on this... oddity of a lockbox."

The magician bowed and bid the queen goodnight as he tucked the fantasy portrait of her unborn brother under his arm and left the young lady to her own devices. Zelda exhaled heavily in relief as soon as the door closed.

The scene had played out like a game of chess. Zelda knew that she had outfoxed the fox himself, Mihari. For how long, was up in the air though. For everyone knows that in a game of chess, you must be one move ahead of your opponent if you wish for true success and Zelda had been relying on dumb luck and shooting from hip the entire time. She knew she would have to think of something better if she wished to get rid of the magician.

* * *

**Review it! I've been getting a lot of people saying that this story is "different" compared to others on the site and they like it because of that. Can you define how it is "different"? I have an idea of how it is but I'm curious as to what you'll say. Thanks :)**


	17. Small Pieces

_(A/N: I'm back in school this coming week, so you'll probably see less of me and my updates after this unless I do some prewriting stuff. I'm getting near exams, so it's crunch time. I'm going to have a ton of stuff on the go for the next three weeks or so and this will be put on the back burner, as much as it pains me to say. I LOVE writing this story, so it's going to be difficult to pry myself away from writing more and more and to buckle down and do some work. Anyway, I hope you understand and I apologize for this. Plus side is that I have a few days off after exams to get some stuff fic writing done. –Infamous 1/5/13)_

* * *

**Act 17: **_**Small Pieces**_

Zelda spent the night awake while everyone else in the castle was fast asleep.

She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about everything. And I mean everything! The diary, the letters, Mihari, the food shortage, the Vidish, getting married. It all circled around and around in her head like a spinning top.

The young monarch finally sat up in bed, lit the candle at her bedside, opened the drawer and began to scan the journal. _Mihari... Ghirahim... Mihari... Ghirahim._

The young queen bounced the names around in her mind. That's when it hit her like a ton of bricks. She slapped her forehead and moaned. "Why didn't I see this before!? They're the same person!"

Zelda grabbed a scrap piece of paper from the corner of her nightstand and began to scribble down the letters of both names. She wrote 'Mihari' and then 'Ghirahim' underneath it. After holding the note close to the candlelight to analyze the writing, she then spelt Ghirahim backwards.

"M-I-H-A-R-I-H-G." She whispered as she spelt the letters on the page. Her eyes widened as she crossed out the last two letters. "Mihari is Ghirahim backwards with the G and H taken off. Goddesses, I'm so stupid! I can't believe it took me this long!"

Zelda was ready to pop her eyes out of her head. "Zelda the Sixth described Ghirahim in her diary as a pasty skinned and white haired individual who looked sick. Mihari looks like that! The connection is right there!"

All that was left to do now was to figure out what she was to do with this information. For some reason she was drawn back to Zelda VI's diary, as if it held some more information.

She picked up the book again and flipped to about three quarters through the notebook. She felt that this would be close to where she wanted to be. The dead queen had said that Ghirahim and Prince Perceval had become friends when Perceval was in his teens. Zelda felt that about three quarters into the book she would find something else, and she did.

Zelda slammed her index finger down on the page as soon as she saw Ghirahim's name mentioned again and again and again. "This is it!"

* * *

_I can't bear to see my boys fight anymore. Laertes and Perceval have been at it for months over rights to the throne. I didn't think either boy knew the truth about their paternities, but I'm beginning to wonder if Perceval has found out the truth about his brother._

_I've been forced to separate them. I've sent Perceval on his own to the new royal summer home on Lake Hylia, while Laertes remains here in the castle. I couldn't see any other way. They were ruining the castle and upsetting the servants, I couldn't have that._

_I still remain queen, but one night several months ago when I expressed my interest and wishes to possibly stepped down and retire my crown to my eldest son, Laertes, Perceval became angry._

_He said something about how Ghirahim had told him that he had more right to the throne than Laertes did and some other nonsense._

_Perceval has become incredibly distant and angry over the last seven years or so. I don't know where this comes from, and it's actually quite frightening. Laertes blames Ghirahim for some reason, but I'm so out of touch with these children and their circles I can't say if that is true or not. _

_When Erik died five years ago, that's when my little boy changed so much. He hung out with that Ghirahim more and more and I saw less and less of him. Sometimes I would ask Laertes to fetch his brother, but he could never find him._

_Honestly, sometimes it feels like I only have one son, and that's Laertes. That probably explains why Perceval says that I've always like Laertes better for some reason, which is not true, I love my boys the same. It's just... it is very difficult to show affection to someone like Perceval. Perceval is someone who will push you away when you did nothing to deserve it. He's an enigma. He reminds me of myself when I was much younger._

_I've asked my hero about this, but he does not have any clue as to what to say (even though he has five children of his own). Perceval does not like the hero as much as his older brother does, so he will not speak with him, that's understandable though. Laertes was always closer to the Hero of Twilight, whereas Perceval preferred spending time with Erik. They gravitated towards their fathers, as bizarre as that may sound._

_I don't understand what kind of solace this Ghirahim provides for my youngest son. He's incredibly creepy and I don't trust him as far as I can throw him... which isn't very far at my age. Perceval's only friend is quite an oddball who seems to be obsessed with Hyrule. I still don't know where he's from._

_I've asked Laertes to look into Ghirahim and he has found very little on him. We cannot find an origin of him or any sort of history or records. My hero has even tried to help by asking people in towns and villages around Hyrule about this strange man named Ghirahim. We have found absolutely nothing, it's bizarre. It's as if he has just appeared out of thin air._

_I've wondered countless times if he is somehow related to the Twilight Realm, but I can't prove anything and I can't construct this theory to completion. We are closed off from the Twilight Realm, as it should be, so any type of correspondence or note comparing would be impossible. I have no clue if they have encountered this strange Ghirahim fellow. I would not put "universe jumping" past his abilities, as he has surprised me on several occasions with his talents._

_Why is he strange? Well, Ghirahim lurks and he has this habit of just showing up when no one saw him enter the area. He has no respect for personal space either. He does not care if you are male or female, he will run his fingers down your face, through the hair and elsewhere. Ghirahim does odd and unnecessary things with his tongue as well. As long as Perceval is gone, Ghirahim is gone as well. Out of sight, out of mind... well, kind of._

_Laertes says that he wishes to bring an end to this tomfoolery, and says he will happily battle his brother to the death for the right to the crown, as long as it helps me find peace of mind. I would never have peace of mind if one of my boys were killed! I don't want this, but his mind is made up. He is writing the challenge letter right now and I don't even want to think about my one son killing the other._

_-Zelda_

* * *

Young Zelda's face was mortified. Zelda VI had a problem with Mihari, or Ghirahim, or whatever his name was, as well it appeared.

Zelda sat and watched as the flickering candle made shadows dance on the walls of her room. She began to think about Mihari. _He was friends with Perceval. He was also friends with my father. Would it be too much to assume that he somehow manipulated Perceval like he did my father? My father was just a pawn on Mihari's game board, and Perceval possibly suffered the same fate. But what kind of game is Mihari playing?_

Zelda bit her thumb nervously. _But was Perceval as weak minded as my father was? My father was foolish after all. In other entries, Zelda the Sixth seems to believe that Perceval was a very bright boy. She was his mother so one would think that she knew best._

"But what does Mihari or Ghirahim or whoever, want?" Zelda whispered as she crumpled the scrap paper in her hand. "He's gotta be at least a hundred years old if he is the same guy in the queen's diary."

The young monarch buckled the silver buckle on the old notebook and placed it back in her nightstand's drawer. "Mihari must have had some sort of control over Perceval, like he did my father. There's no other explanation. This would mean that he wanted to put Perceval on the throne over Laertes. If Perceval was as weak minded as my father, than Mihari could have had Hyrule once Zelda and Laertes were gone. Laertes defeated Perceval on the Bridge of Eldin shortly after this was written, so Mihari's plan would have been foiled by Perceval's death... then he vanished, right? I can't see Zelda or Laertes wishing for him to loom around the kingdom, so they must have exiled him or something."

She blew out the candle and quietly crawled back into her bed. As she stared at the ceiling once more her thoughts drifted in a much different direction. _I wonder what Link is doing right now. Wherever he is, I hope he's okay, and safe. I'm about to blow this case wide open and prove his innocence. I just know that I'm onto something but I'm not sure what it all is, just yet._

She pulled her dark blonde locks out of her eyes and exhaled heavily. A small smile crossed her face as she chuckled lightly to herself. _Why is it that whenever I finally get a moment to think about anything in the world, I always think about you?_

* * *

Link and Gregor sat in the tunnel in exhaustion. They sat with their backs against either side of the tunnel's walls with their legs sticking straight out. Link believed Gregor was finally asleep and now he was alone in his thoughts.

_This guy is nuts! I suppose when you act screwy for so long you learn to hide it from people. _Link watched as a small line of ants borrowed into the ground next to his foot. _I wonder if this is normal for him. I wonder if he just "rescues" people, teaches them some fancy tricks with weapons and then uses them to mine through this wall of rocks._

Link picked up a shiny rock off the ground and brushed off its excess dirt with his thumb. He stared at it for a moment and then held it up to the torchlight. The rock glistened with a beautiful purple as Link ran his fingers over the edges of the stone. "I think this is worth fifty rupees. What's this doing down here?"

He placed the rupee into his pocket and then grabbed another rock off the floor and repeated the ritual on it. This one shone with a bloody red colour. "Twenty."

Link continued this processes for nearly thirty minutes, and in total he had collected nearly two hundred rupees in all. _Is this the treasure that Gregor was talking about? Or I am just scratching the surface? One thing is for sure, if he finds out I have rupees on me that I found down here, he'll probably try to kill me._

During their hours of work Gregor had tried to smack Link over the head with a shovel, thinking Link had broken through the rock wall and was trying to crawl through the hole he had made. In reality, Link had just tripped a bit and was trying to get back up. Gregor had merely glared at him and continued his work.

Link also noticed that Gregor would speak to himself about the treasure in the Arbiter's Grounds. All the things he could do once he got his hands on it. All the possibilities. All the power he could obtain.

Link still wanted to know what kind of treasure Gregor was after. He didn't know if it was a huge stash of rupees and riches or if it was a small chest of relics that were valuable.

Whilst recounting this thought, Link looked up to see something hidden in Gregor's cloak on the floor. It appeared to be a folded up paper. Something about the paper caught Link's eye.

Link glanced back and forth from the cloak to Gregor for about five minutes, to make sure the strange man was really asleep and not faking. When Gregor began to snore, Link knew he was lost in slumber.

Link slowly rose himself up into a crouching position and then began to slowly do a duck walk across the tunnel and over to Gregor's abandoned cloak.

He could feel the beads of sweat slowly crawling down his forehead as he reached down and grabbed the long piece of brown fabric and took it in his hands. He cautiously tried to shift the cloak in his hands so he could see the paper. As Link did this, he never stopped darting his eyes back to Gregor.

Then, he saw it coming into the light. The old folded up piece of paper in one of the hidden pockets inside Gregor's cloak. For a moment he stood still, watching as Gregor moaned and moved slightly in his sleep. Then, he began to remove the paper from the fabric.

_Easy, easy... _Link told himself as he finally pulled the entire paper out of the pocket and then placed the cloak back on the floor.

He then unfolded the parchment -that was actually a map- under the torchlight and tried to read the title in the corner but could not do so. _Ancient Hylian? But, this is a map of the tunnels that were built long after ancient script was used. Shouldn't it be written in something more readable? No one knows who two write in Ancient Hylian other than the... royal family..._

Link looked over at Gregor one last time and then back down to the map. The tunnels appeared to be highlighted in different colours. Link had no idea which one he was in at that moment in time, nor could he read the map and figure it out.

Then he noticed something strange on the map. The one tunnel had an 'x' mark at the very end. The marker had a paragraph of text next to it, which of course, Link could not understand. He placed a finger on the mark and traced his finger down the tunnel it was connected to. _This must be the one I'm in now. 'X' marks the spot for treasure after all. But why do I get the feeling that that paragraph up there is important._

Link recalled Finn telling him that there were maps like this in the royal library. They were only viewable by royalty and those who had the monarch's permission. The royal seal on the bottom right corner made it obvious to Link that this had come from the royal family's map collection.

Gregor moaned again, striking fear into Link's heart. Link quickly stuffed the map back into the cloak and scurried over to his side of the tunnel, thinking Gregor would awaken at any time.

The odd man let out a loud yawn as he stretched and Link slammed his buttocks down in the dirt. "Ah, goddesses! Link, how are you doing?"

Link's eyes widened as he realized how close he was to being caught. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied. "Oh, not too bad I guess."

"You're sweating? I didn't think it was that hot down here." Gregor raised an eyebrow as he dragged his cloak over and wrapped himself in it. "I'm kind of cold to be honest."

"Um... bad dream." Link lied. He was actually shocked at how civilized the exhausted Gregor was acting.

"Oh, okay." Gregor yawned as he closed his eyes again and snuggled with the brown fabric.

Link watched as Gregor fell back to sleep. A sigh of relief was indeed necessary on Link's part. _That was close. Good timing too. Now, where did Gregor get something like that map?_

* * *

**Review please. Feedback is the number one thing!**


	18. Breakthrough

**Act 18: **_**Breakthrough **_

The morning came and went in Hyrule. Mihari truly had done what he said. Mihari had cleared the young queen's schedule for the day.

Zelda started her day, quite late actually. She did not receive a wakeup call from her ladies-in-waiting, instead she found herself sleeping in until noon.

She awoke to the rustling winds from outside her window and the rain tapping hard on it like a star-crossed lover who was throwing pebbles at it, trying to get her attention.

Zelda slowly open and closed her eyes contently as she let out a small yawn. Then she remembered exactly who she was. She was the queen. Queens are not supposed to sleep in, especially when their kingdom is in dire need.

"Oh sweet goddess! What time is it?" Zelda gasped as she shot her head up from the pillow and looked out her bedroom window to see the darkness of the long running storm. She threw her sheets back, hopped out of bed, grabbed her purple robe and wrapped it over her nightgown. "Where are my ladies-in-waiting? They were supposed to wake me!"

Zelda swung her bedroom door open and practically flew down the hallway as she called the names of her ladies-in-waiting. "Sherri? Ophelia? Marie? Tatiana? Blanche? Fontaine? Anyone?"

She received no reply as she fixed the fabric belt of her housecoat. All she could hear was the sound of her bare feet pitter-pattering on the stone floors. "Where is everybody?"

One door, two doors, three doors, four doors; the queen counted the iron braced entrances, trying to keep an idea as to where in the castle she was. All of these doors, and yet no one going in or out of them.

Then she heard some rustling from a nearby storage closet and narrowed her eyes as she slowly gripped the knob. She quickly yanked the door open to find one of her ladies-in-waiting cowering in the corner.

"Fontaine?" Zelda's gently voice called curiously.

The girl raised her head out of her arms to see the young queen looking at her in confusion. "Your majesty!"

"Fontaine, what are you doing in here?" Zelda asked as she extended her hand to her lady-in-waiting.

The young lady looked shocked at the queen's hand for a moment before taking it and lifting herself up. "Mihari told us that you wished to not be disturbed today, my lady."

Zelda raised a cynical eyebrow. "So... you hid in the storage closet?"

"Oh no, my lady!" Fontaine curtsied several times as she tried to catch her breath. "You see, I remembered that you were not to be disturbed today, so when I heard someone coming down the hall, I thought it was Mihari, so I jumped into this closet to avoid being seen!"

"Is that so?" Zelda winced. "Well, don't be afraid of old Mihari, okay?"

Fontaine appeared to be shaking as she fixed her black hair. "Oh, I am not afraid of him, my lady. I am terrified of him. Terrified, just like everyone else in this castle."

Zelda narrowed her eyes as she helped her lady-in-waiting into the hallway. "Fontaine, please take the rest of the day off."

The young lady-in-waiting gasped. "Oh, your majesty, you know I have a full time job of being your aid. I could not possibly."

The young queen hushed as her eyes glazed over in thought. "Fontaine, I have more attendants, ladies-in-waiting, advisors and personal assistants than I have finger and toes to count them on. Please, take this day for yourself. Go into town and buy yourself a new dress or something."

Fontaine clasped her hands together and squealed. "Oh your majesty knows me so well! Thank you!"

She quickly curtsied and ran off down the hallway.

Zelda watched her lady-in-waiting go and stood by herself for a moment. _Mihari, you will no longer bully my underlings once I figure out what to do with you._

* * *

Link and Gregor were back to digging again. And again Gregor would mumble nonsense about finding the treasure and all the things he would do with it. I'll have you know that not a single one of these ramblings included Link, and this made Link nervous. Nervous because he did not know if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he was not mentioned in Gregor's fantasy of riches.

Link's arms were sore to say the least. They felt like boiled noodles. They felt like they were going to fall off. Link thought about what he must have looked like; dirty, sweaty and disgusting. He had dirtied the clothing Zelda had supplied him with, and that bothered him for one reason or another.

Finally, after hours of digging Link made a breakthrough. With one strong, frustrated heave of his pick axe he had knocked out a small fraction of the rocks through to the other side, into infinite darkness.

Link squealed a bit, shocked at what he had done. He stood there dumbfounded for a moment as the pick axe rested in the hole in the wall.

Gregor turned his attention to Link and gasped as his eyes widened like a predatory dog catching the scent of the blood of its prey.

"Gregor?" Link mumbled as the strange man stood still in shock and awe at the breakthrough. "Um... I broke through the wall."

"I see that." Gregor's voice cracked as he hobbled over to Link's side. "Well, what do you think you're doing, you fool? Help me open this up!"

Gregor pushed Link out of the way and grabbed the pick axe that was sticking out of the hole in the wall. He began to bash and bang the rocks away like a lunatic with the axe and eventually he dropped it and began ripping the rocks away with his hands like a filthy animal.

Link stood back and watched this spectacle unfold. A man who had not a shred of dignity left was on his hands and knees ripping the old stones out of the way, trying to make a path big enough for a grown man to uncomfortably go through.

Link was afraid to help, despite Gregor's wishes. He thought he would get a rock thrown at his head if he tried to get near the man, so he stood back and watched.

"Aha! I've got it!" Gregor shouted as he stood up and then began to squeeze through a narrow clearing in the wall that he had created. He grunted and groaned as he tried to get through the jagged rocks that poked out at him. "C'mon Link!"

Link nodded as he watched Gregor worm through the hole in the wall. There was no turning back now.

He grabbed the small lantern off the floor and handed it through the hole to Gregor, along with the man's bow and quiver. He then grabbed one of the torches on the wall and began to worm through the clearing that Gregor had mined out.

"Hurry up, mate. You aren't that fat." Gregor urged as Link squirmed through. "The treasure is close! It should be in the next chamber."

As Link popped out through the hole he saw Gregor was examining the map that Link had seen the night before. "What's that?"

Gregor looked up from the lantern light and frowned at Link. "Nothing. Now come on!"

Gregor quickly folded the map up and hide it back in its special pocket in his cloak.

_Yeah, it's nothing alright._ Link frowned back as he followed Gregor deeper into the tunnel.

* * *

Mihari the magician -a rather cruel and sick minded individual as you probably know by now- sat by himself in the castle's living room. Yes, the castle had a living room; that surprised me too. Well actually, it was more of a parlour.

So there he sat on the regal, red sofa, eating an apple with his right leg crossed over the left one, lost in thought. He appeared to be waiting for someone, or something.

His eyes crawled around the room like those of a curious child's. He stared at the bookshelf that had been lined with hundreds of pieces of literature from various authors from various time periods. Most of the books had been handpicked by King Gengos's uncle, King Miclas, who was a bit of a bibliophile. Since Gengo's family (his father, brother and himself) were not all that well read, the books did not move an inch. Zelda was yet to address this issue of "clutter" in the royal household, and Mihari would be sure to make sure she knew about this, as he was tired of looking at the same books for X number of years.

"Any minute now..." Mihari mumbled as he took another chunk out of his apple. "I wonder what will show up first though, the queen, the suitor or the storm? My, that would be an interesting title for a book, wouldn't it? '_The Queen, the Suitor and Strom, by Lord Ghirahim aka. Mihari the Magician aka. the one who has tricked royals for decades aka. The greatest being to ever walk the surface'._ I must say, it has a most delightful ring to it, I like it. Perhaps I will sign a book deal when this is all over."

The dark magician chuckled as he took another bite out of his apple. "Oh Ghirahim, you sly little devil, you have outdone yourself this time. You've still got it after all these years. How do you do it?"

"Well, you know, it's not my fault that these people make it so easy for me. They play right into my hands." He laughed a little more as he answered his own question. It was as if he was doing an interview with his narcissistic self. "Truth be told, they've gotten stupider since the days of Hylia, if that is even possible. Hylians are all idiots."

The oak doors to the parlour swung open and Mihari's eyes brightened as six maids rushed in. Their cheery chatter chimed in Mihari's ears like nails on a chalkboard.

"Oh, Mihari... you're in here today?" stuttered one of the maids.

Mihari stood up slowly and sighed. "Not anymore."

"Oh, we can come back later, sir." Another maid interjected.

The magician sighed and shook his head. "It just wouldn't be the same."

He then dropped his half eaten apple on the carpet and walked out, leaving the maids petrified with fear.

The six maids looked down at the apple and began to quietly argue amongst themselves.

"I don't wanna touch it! I'll get freaky disease or something!"

"Well neither do I! Last time someone touched his food they exploded."

"They did not!" scoffed the tall maid.

"Well I heard that!"

"From who?"

"Donna from the library."

"Oh, since when do you listen to Donna?"

"Shut up and pick the apple up! We can't leave it to rot in here. Her majesty will get sick from the smell!"

"Oh, you bunch of wimps. I'll clean it up!" the blonde maid hissed as she bent down to pick the piece of fruit up. "Goddesses, at a desperate time like this Mihari is eating luxury fruit? Despicable! I wish her majesty would retire him!"

"Carful Cami!" called the other maids.

As soon as the blonde maid touched the steam of the apple, all six of the maids disappeared in a wall of yellow and purple diamonds.

There was no sound. There were no witnesses. There was no evidence. The maids were now a thing of the past.

* * *

Link and Gregor hiked deeper and deeper into the depths of the tunnel, aided only by the small lights produced by their lantern and torch.

"It should be just up here." Gregor murmured and then stopped walking finally. He stood in front of an old iron door that had a Triforce seal imprinted on it.

Gregor raised the lantern to get a better look and then ran his hand down the engravings. He furrowed his brow seriously and nodded. "This is it. Just behind this door. I'm sure of it."

Link raised his torch and looked at the iron door as well. "This leads to the Arbiter's Grounds?"

Gregor nodded again. "Yup. Once we go through here we should be in a secret underground chamber of the structure. It was only built until Laertes... you get it."

Link rolled his eyes. "Well, let's open it then."

"Right. You go over there on the left and lift when I give the go-ahead." Gregor pointed to the left corner of the door as he placed his lantern on the floor. "I'll take the right side."

Link found a rusty torch holder in the wall and forced the wooden rod of fire into it before crouching down and forcing his fingers into the little crack at the bottom of the iron door. "Ready."

Gregor did the same and then bit his lip. "Okay... lift!"

The two men combined their strength and caused the door to slowly slide upward into the ceiling. It made a cracking and grinding noise as it began to rise.

The door was heavy and rusty from age. Link stood underneath it with his hands held skyward. He looked up to see the small pieces of rust and dirt fall down from the bottom of the door.

"Now what?" Link wheezed, feeling the doors weight crushing his hands.

"I'm going to let going." Gregor said seriously. "I'll let go, grab the lantern and the torch and run to the other side. Then I'll grab my half of the door again so you can get through."

Link gave Gregor a skeptical look. "No tricks? It would be quite easy for you to just ditch me on this side."

Gregor looked over at Link and groaned. "Link, I need you to help me lift this door back up once we leave. I'm not ditching you. Besides, you still have to get your reward."

Link nodded. "Okay. Be quick. This is really heavy."

"You bet!" Gregor grinned as he let go of his half of the door.

Link moaned at the added weight as the door jerked down as soon as Gregor let go. He could feel every muscle his body crying out for help. He felt like he was going to collapse and be crushed by the door. "Hurry up!"

Gregor scooped the lantern off the floor and removed the torch from the sconce. He then ran over to the other side of the door and dropped both light sources on the floor. He then grabbed the door on his side and signaled for Link to run through.

Link let go and jumped over to Gregor's side. With one motion, Gregor let go of the door again and it slammed down onto the dirt floor with a loud BANG.

The dust settled and Link looked at Gregor thankfully. _At least he didn't leave me._

"You thought I would leave you back there, eh?" Gregor chuckled as he picked up his lantern. "Come on. Just a little bit farther!"

Link was shocked at how normal Gregor was now acting. But Link knew that the mood would all change as soon as Gregor got a glimpse of the treasure. Near the end of his life, the Hero of Time once said, _"Treasure, whether it is a grand chamber of gold or a small memory that one holds in his heart, can turn even the strongest men into monsters"_, Link kept this in mind at all times. He only remembered it because it was written on a plaque in the castle's Hall of Heroes.

Gregor ran ahead and vanished into the darkness. His lantern seemed to dim as if it were being eaten alive by the darkness. Link called out for him but all he could hear was. "It's mine! It's all mine!"

Link raised his torch forward nervously as he swallowed hard. He could see very little, but it appeared that he was standing in a small chamber. It was incredibly cold, and Link felt as if all happiness in the world had disappeared as he stood there and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Gregor?" Link called nervously into the dark. He looked down and saw that there was a yellow residue on the floor. Link inhaled and smelt the unmistakable stench of lantern oil. Link backed up out of the oil and looked down. "Gregor, make sure you aren't standing in the oil! I'm gonna light it, okay?"

Link received no reply. He shrugged as he lowered his torch to the oil on the floor.

The oil ignited quickly and it reached to the far corners of the room and brightened it up. Link stepped back to see mounds of rupees around the room reflecting the orange light from the flames. He could not see Gregor though.

Then Link looked to the middle of the room, and that's when he saw it and he understood why Gregor did not reply to his calls.

* * *

**Review it kiddies! What do you think is in the middle of the room and what do you think its purpose is?**


	19. Anything Your Heart Desires

**Act 19: **_**Anything Your Heart Desires**_

Link looked ahead to see Gregor standing dumbfounded. He watched as the man slowly dropped to his knees and crawled to the middle of the room.

What Link saw at the middle of the room blew his mind. For he saw a large black and dark purple sword stuck in the ground emitting a strange violent aura. "What is that?"

The black handle of the sword gave the onlooker a feeling that evil possessed the blade. You would be correct to think so as well. The upside Triforce on the blade said it all.

"I don't like this." Link frowned nervously as he stepped forward a bit. "Gregor, be careful!"

Gregor of course, did not listen to a word Link said. He was infatuated with the weapon for some reason. He murmured continuously _"Anything your heart desires will come to you. All you have to do is free the sword."_

"_Anything your heart desires_? Gregor, I think that thing is kind of dangerous. Maybe we should just forget about it?" Link anxiously watched as Gregor got closer and closer to the blade. "Gregor don't touch it!"

Gregor looked back at Link with a violent expression. "_He_ told me to. He told me that if I free the sword that I can anything I want! He told me this, all those years ago."

Link raised his hands in surrender. "Who told you that? Who is _he_?"

Gregor ignored Link and raised his hand, readying to rest it on the hilt of the sword.

"Gregor, don't!" Link shouted as he unsheathed his own blade. If speaking would not do it, he would stop his friend by force. "Don't even think about it! I just know something awful will happen! That sword just screams _evil_!"

Gregor grinned softly as he began to slowly stand up. "You dare cross blades with me? Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah, Gregor Warhawk. The guy who saved me from certain death! The guy who is related to the Hero of Twilight himself! That in itself is an honour!" Link yelled. "Of course, you couldn't be related to the Hero of Twilight, because his blood is righteous. Those with righteous blood would never try to inflict evil on this world. That was a virtue held by the hero, and one would think his descendents would honour that as well."

Gregor began to laugh. "Yes, but I am not him. How _righteous_ and _virtuous_ is a man who cheats on his wife and has children with another woman? People think it's a secret, but really it's not! His eldest daughter found out about his little romps with the queen and threatened to tell his wife!"

Link furrowed his brow. "But that means only a handful of people know."

"That daughter kept it a secret, for her father's sake. She only told her own children the secret and they told theirs and so on and so forth." Gregor nodded. "Go ahead and ask your precious queen about it, I'm sure she knows too. Don't you see, Link? There are no saints, only sinners who lie to themselves about their goodness and value. In the dead of the night when their dreams haunt them, that is when they remember exactly what kind of monsters they truly are."

Link reflected upon Gregor's words for a moment before replying. "So why do you want to pull the sword?"

"I will once again be respected and I will restore the hero's name and his family to greatness!" Gregor hissed as he lowered his hand to the blade's hilt. "The only way I can do that, is if I eradicate the royals. They are the only real bloodshed on the hero's good name. They are the illegitimate children of a man who is believed to be perfection."

"You're going to do what?" Link gasped.

"I will destroy that legacy and start my own." Gregor growled as his hand got closer to touching the hilt. "Are you not sick of hearing about the same royal family through those stories? The families of the heroes are forgotten and brushed aside, yet the royals remain important?"

Link began to understand Gregor's frustration. There had been no compensation for the families of the heroes of the past; yet the royals could stay in their fancy palaces and eat off silver platters for another twenty centuries if they wanted to.

"So in order to make things right, you'll use whatever power that sword grants you and destroy a dynasty?" Link barked. "That would mean that there would no longer be any holders of the Triforce of Wisdom! The Golden Goddesses have always chosen a royal princess because there is no one else qualified! If the world needed saving, it would fall into chaos because the holder of that piece of the Triforce would not exist or not know they held it!"

Gregor narrowed his eyes as he slowly clasped his right hand around the hilt of the blade. But before he could remove it from the ground the purple aura seemed to surround his body.

"Gregor!" Link shouted helplessly.

There was then a voice that spoke.

"_Who are you?"_

Gregor swallowed hard. "Gregor... Gregor Warhawk."

"_Why are you here?"_

"To remove the blade from the ground!" Gregor replied soberly.

"_Your heart is neither good nor evil, it is neutral. Despite how much you think you pull to one side, you are manipulated by your heart and your vindictiveness. Therefore you shall not wield this power."_

Link was shocked, as was Gregor.

"I'm taking the sword anyway." Gregor growled as he tried to heave the weapon out of the ground. But as soon as he heaved, the purple aura threw him across the room and against the wall. He fell down into a pile of rupees unconscious.

"_Step forward child."_ The voice demanded. _"I might as well read you too."_

Link's eyes widened as he placed his sword back in its sheath and obeyed the voice.

"_Place your hand on my hilt."_

Link raised his left hand to do just that. But he stopped himself short. He looked at the back of his hand to see the strange golden Triforce symbol glowing through his glove. "What the?"

"_No! Get away!" _The voice hissed. _"Stay back!"_

Link was surprised at the sudden tone of the voice. It seemed to be afraid of the symbol on Link's hand. _Maybe it's afraid because it will be damaged by this mark._

"_Are you trying to kill me?" _

Link heard those words and knew exactly what he wanted to do. If this blade was indeed evil, he could destroy it by the strange power that emitted from his left hand.

Link grinned. "No, I'm going to destroy you."

He then gripped his left hand around the hilt of the dark sword and heaved with all his might. The purple aura turned black and appeared to be trying to fight back, but Link did not even notice this.

The symbol on his hand burned brightly as the sword came loose and eventually was freed from the ground. Link then raised the sword skyward and watched as the marking on his hand began to glow so bright that it was almost blinding.

Link's hand burned with the heat of what felt like a thousand suns as he squinted to see what was becoming of the chamber.

The chamber rocked and quaked violently, causing rupees to fly everywhere and part of the ceiling to come down.

Link stumbled a bit and watched as the blade disappeared from his hand and turned into an array of purple sparkles. "Did I just... destroy it?"

The chamber continued to shake aggressively and Link fell down onto his side. "Gregor, where are you?"

Link looked around to see Gregor unconscious and trapped underneath a large rock from the ceiling. He ran towards his friend and began to slap him in the face. "Gregor, wake up! Wake up! We gotta go! This whole thing is coming down!"

Gregor would not awaken though to Link dismay.

"Fine then!" Link nodded as he then tried to push the rock off the Gregor's legs, but was not successful. "I just need to carry you out, but I can't get this thing off of you!"

"Just leave me you idiot!" Gregor wheezed. "Just leave me here."

Link's face went pale as he heard the man's voice. "I'm not leaving you! No man gets left behind!"

Gregor coughed. "I'm good as dead anyway. Even if you get me out of here, the closest doctor is in Castle Town. I'd probably never walk again anyway, and I don't want to be remembered as a cripple."

"Don't give up!" Link shouted. "I can still get you out! Just give me more time!"

"There is no more time mate. This thing is coming down." Gregor coughed. "You gotta get out. Save yourself and die another day. I'll never have what I want out of life now. I don't have any family or friends so I won't be missed! Just go!"

Link didn't know what he was feeling. Sure, Gregor was crazy, but he was still Link's friend. He couldn't just leave him, no matter how much he was urged to do so.

"It's called respect for the dead! So carry out my wishes and get out of here, now!" Gregor yelled. "Take my bow and my quiver and my map too. The map will help you navigate your way out of here. I'd give you my good sword, but it is under the rock with the rest of me."

Link nodded slowly and obliged one last time for Gregor. He stood up and ran to the exit after scooping up the bow, the quiver, the map from Gregor's cloak and his torch.

Our young hero looked back one last time before leaving the chamber. All he heard was the dying desperation in Gregor's voice screaming and crying out "RUN!"

And Link did just that. Link ran away.

* * *

Mihari's eyes widened as if they had become aware of the events in the desert. "So, the idiot drew the sword. Well, I guess anyone with the last name _Warhawk _would do something stupid like that. It only took him ten years or so."

"That means that very soon my master will rise once more." He chuckled happily.

The magician looked up from his book that was titled _'Where Ganondorf Went Wrong',_ and looked around his yellow chamber. "I guess I have no more need for any more spirits."

He walked over to the corner to where the six maids from the parlour were tied up and unconscious. "Shame. These ones annoyed me too."

Mihari then licked his lips and smiled. "Well, I guess I could just kill them, as it takes too much time and effort to wipe their memories. It's been too long since I last saw a little blood spatter."

He then pondered the thought and nodded. "Yes, I suppose my slaughter skills are getting rusty. They will make fine practice when they wake up."

The dark magician laughed a bit. "Now... what method to use? Oh, I have one! When is that tornado coming to Kakariko again?"

* * *

Zelda sat in the private dining area, where she and her father use to eat, awaiting this Gordo fellow who Mihari had arranged her to meet.

She appeared to be restless and losing her patience in waiting for the suitor. _I should be doing everything I can to fix our current situation here in Hyrule. I can't be meeting with these wannabe kings when my country is in crisis! Even if I liked this guy, paying for expensive nuptials would be a ridiculous idea. That money would go to the people that need it, before anything else._

She looked at the other end of the table, where she sat when she was a little girl. She then looked towards the door that led to the kitchen. She smiled as she remembered the first day she ever met Link, and the years that went by with their conversations. She half expected to see him fly out the door to collect her tea cup, but she knew he never would. She missed her only friend. _I miss him._

Then the doors opened from the hallway to the dining area. One of the butlers walked in and bowed. "Your majesty, I bring you, Lord Gordo."

Behind the butler walked out a tall, handsome young man with rusty red hair and golden eyes. His smile seemed to sparkle as he greeted the queen with a bow. "You majesty, it is an honour to finally meet you."

Zelda was slightly taken aback by the young man's good looks. He was probably one of the better looking suitors. She quickly stood up from her place at the end of the table out of respect for her visitor.

The butler stepped aside and bowed before leaving. "Lunch will be served in fifteen minutes. Please ring me if you need anything."

"Yes, thank you Oswald." Zelda nodded as the butler walked backward and closed the doors.

Zelda and Gordo were now alone.

The young man quickly walked towards Zelda and kneed down and took her hand in his. "It is truly an honour, your majesty."

He then gently kissed the back of her hand.

Zelda rolled her eyes unimpressed as she pulled her hand away. "Yes, yes, you said that. Please, have a seat."

Gordo could feel the nervous sweat pouring down his spine as he stood up and took a seat next to the queen's chair. He had heard rumours about the queen being quite cold, but he had never imagined she actually would be. _This is going to be rough._

Truthfully, Zelda wasn't cold at all, and you my dear reader probably know that by now. Zelda just didn't like having men banging on her door every day and did not like to be bothered when she had important matters on her mind. Monarchs usually get a bad representation, Zelda would be no different.

"So... you're the queen." Gordo cleared his throat as he sat down.

"Uh-huh." Zelda sighed as she sat down and then ran her fingers through her hair.

Gordo scratched his cheek nervously, trying to think of something to say. "Y-you are very beautiful, your majesty. I'm sure you hear it a lot, but I truly mean that."

Zelda looked at her nails and then fixed the one strap on her dress. "Oh, thank you. You're quite dashing ummm..."

"Gordo. My name is Gordo."

"Yes, yes, Gordo." Zelda nodded.

The young man gave the young queen a concerned look. "Are you... okay?"

Zelda looked at Gordo in surprise. No one really ever asked her if she was okay. Well, no one since Link had anyway. It appeared that this fellow was actually trying to be her friend.

When Zelda didn't respond Gordo spoke again. "I'm only asking because you seem a little, tense. I mean, you're allowed to be tense because you're the queen and there's probably a lot on you right now with the weather and the flooding and such. Then you have me coming in here and wasting your time because people are trying to set you up with a husband."

Could she have heard him correctly? He actually kind of_ understood_ why she was so distant looking. As naive as it was, Zelda seemed to become only slightly smitten with this handsome young man. Perhaps it was his looks. Perhaps it was that he was willing to speak with her like he wanted to be friendly. Gordo had already started to win over the young queen.

"_When women are most vulnerable is when they are in love" _said Zelda IV, the Sage of Time. Young Zelda would remember this and always hold it close. Zelda was not in love with Gordo, but she did enjoy his company that day. It was the same type of enjoyment one would receive from spending the day with a caring friend, not a potential lover.

Zelda had not had any sort of friendship for a very long time, so she welcomed Gordo's inquiries and understandings.

By the time the day was through, Zelda would ask Gordo to return to the castle again sometime.

* * *

Link exited the tunnel system and out into the hole in the desert. He looked up to see a blanket of twilight beginning to paint the desert's sky.

Link fell to his knees panting as a big puff of smoke shot out of the tunnel, closing them off forever.

Our young hero had placed Gregor's quiver over his shoulder, the map in his tunic and carried the bow in his left hand. He had dropped the torch as soon as he saw light emitting from the end of the tunnel.

Now, Link was alone in the desert. This realization made tears well up in his eyes.

He was forced to leave his friend behind and now his friend was dead. Gregor _was_ his friend, I guess. He did indeed rescue him, feed him, shelter him and train him for a long period of time. So there was indeed a friendship there, even though Gregor turned out to be quite crazy in the end.

Link wiped the tears from his cheek as he stood up and began to scale the ladder out of the pit.

When he reached the top, he fell over, face down in the sand in exhaustion. Physically, mentally and emotionally, Link was exhausted.

He thought he would just lay there for a while and rest. But then he heard horses neighing in the distance.

He lifted his head to see a group of men and women riding on horseback towards him.

"Outlaws..." Link murmured. "I-I gotta run."

Link tried to rise from the sand, but found he was too weak to do so.

When the group of riders stopped in front of him, Link heard one laugh and say. "Well, if it isn't one of the Warhawk gang."

Then another laughed as well. "Where's the big cheese?"

"I bet he's dead." Added another. "Died in that there tunnel. Am I right?"

Link gridded his teeth, but could not think of anything to say to the group.

"Well, let's take him back with us to camp. He looks like he's got some good stuff on him." Ordered a man.

Link then closed his eyes as he felt sets of hands lift him off the ground. Link then, blacked out.

* * *

**Review! :)**


	20. More Stories

_(A/N: I am actually now serious about my updates being slower. I have indeed done some prewriting stuff and I have some chapters done so I can do weekly updates. I was saving this chapter for Wednesday. Since I adore you guys so very much, I chose to update early. You are welcome! –Infamously Me 12/1/13)_

* * *

**Act 20: **_**More Stories**_

Link struggled to open his eyes for moment. The vision of the night sky came and went in and out of focus. He could hear a fire crackling to the left of him somewhere.

Link groaned and moaned a bit as he tried to roll onto his side. The pain in his arms was too great though.

"You stay down." Hissed a woman. "Stay down or I'll kill you."

Link did as the woman said. "Where am I? What happened?"

"Shut up!" she barked.

Link again, obliged, fearing for his own safety.

Well, he assumed he was still in the desert, judging by the unmistakable smell of sand and the fact that the ground beneath him shifted like sand. He also assumed that he had been taken hostage by bandits. Which ones, he didn't know. But he did know that he had probably had most of his belongings taken from him and he could possibly be killed by dawn if need be.

"What do you want to do with him?" murmured the woman.

"Well, we could just kill him." A man replied.

"Nah." The woman rejected the suggestion. "Too much bloodshed for one day. It's unlucky to spill blood under a full moon."

"Oh come on Kala." The man laughed. "That's just an old Gerudo myth. And you know what? There are no more Gerudo, so it proves how smart they were."

Link looked towards the sky and saw the moonlight twinkling down on him mercifully. Deep in his heart, he felt like the gods and goddesses up above in the heavens were crying for him. Crying for him, and telling him how sorry they were that they were not watching his deck of fate cards closer. Sorry that such bad luck had indeed befallen him all at once. Sorry that he hand to experience such woes at such a young age.

"Hey. Do you guys see that thing over there?" one of the men whispered. "Looks like there is someone standing over there on that dune."

Link's attention shifted from the moon to the conversation. _What?_

"Oh, you're just seeing things Ricky. Go to bed." Another man laughed. "That's just uhm... ah... well, I don't know what it is."

"Looks like a woman!" stated another man. "Not one of our people, is it?"

"Nah, she's stationary." A woman's voice interjected.

Link then felt a boot kick him in the side as a man's voice growled. "Eh, you got some friends coming after you? More of the Warhawk gang or is this one hunting you down to kill you?"

Link felt the cold steel of a knife resting gently against his neck as a woman's voice laughed. "Hunting you down? I say we beat them to the punch, just to rattle their cage."

Link only saw what was straight above him, and above him were two hooded people looking down at him. One was a man, and the other a woman.

The woman had long red locks of hair hanging down. Her face was close to Link's, as she was holding the knife to his throat.

The man was farther away and seemed to be frowning at the woman's aggressiveness. Link assumed this was the man who kicked him in the side.

"I don't have anyone searching for me." Link swallowed hard. He felt his Adam's apple gently hit the knife back. "Honestly, I don't know who that would be."

"He's lying!" the woman hissed as she pressed the knife a little harder against Link's gullet. "I know he is!"

The man sighed. "Let him sit up and have a look at the silhouette."

The woman sighed back, and under her hood, Link knew she was rolling her eyes as he lifted the knife away and boosted Link up into a sitting position.

Link looked around to see dozens of people in hoods standing around and watching him. He could not see any of their faces because of the shadows, but he could tell that all eyes were on him.

"Over there." One of the other male hooded figures pointed to a ridge not too far away. "Here, use my telescope."

Link took the telescope from the man and peered through it at the dune he was speaking of. He could see a feminine silhouette with long hair blowing in the gentle desert breeze. She appeared to have her arms crossed, as if she was watching the bandits in annoyance. _Who is that?_

"Look familiar?" the man asked.

"N-no." Link shook his head. "Maybe she's a bounty hunter or something."

Everyone at the camp gasped and stepped back a bit in fear. Apparently bounty hunters struck fear into the hearts of outlaws, no surprise there.

"But how many female bounty hunters are there?" Link inquired.

The man who kicked Link scratched his chin. "Well, there are a few. Not as many as there are men, but there are a few women. Ordon Village has produced a few, if I recall correctly. Then again, Ordon Village has produced most of the bounty hunters. Most outlaws come from Kakariko, ya know."

"What about that one girl... she's a descendent of the Hero of Twilight. What's her name? Guinevere or something like that?" the red haired woman added.

_Another descendent of the Hero of Twilight jeez. _Link said to himself. He was surprised at the mention of another descendent so early on. This time the descendent seemed to be on the other side of the spectrum.

"Oh yes, Good Lady Gwyn as they call her. I hear she actually hasn't been very well these last few months." another man nodded. "I suppose that isn't the only oddity in Hyrule today. Winds are changing and what not."

"My brother got caught by Gwyn once. Almost shot his ear off. Impeccable aim he says." One of the other women added.

Link was amazed by how these outlaws spoke of a bounty hunter, as if they were all friends and neighbours. Then he realized that they were not speaking out of foolishness, they speaking out of some odd form of respect.

"Guinevere always gets her man." Several of the outlaws repeated again and again.

"That's why people adore her and why we hate her. Goddesses, she could pick us all off in one night, easily." The man who kicked Link explained. "I heard a story that she drove three dozen crooks out of Ordon Village, single handedly. She captured or killed about two thirds of them."

Link furrowed his brow. "You guys sure speak highly of someone who could bring about your demise."

The group of outlaws looked at Link seriously. The man who kicked Link spoke soberly. "Oh, you have to my boy. It's an unwritten rule. You got to just respect someone with skills like Gwyn's, no matter what side you're on. She's a force of nature."

"So you guys think that girl in the distance is this Gwyn you speak of?" Link asked.

"Possibly, but I hope not." The red haired woman scoffed. "We don't need to deal with that tonight."

"I don't think Gwyn is in the desert right now. I heard rumours that she's actually up at Snowpeak investigating something. Slaying monsters and what not, no doubt." Another woman spoke. "Obviously trying to make her great, great grandpa proud by picking up the torch."

"I still think she's ill." The tall man argued.

Link winced. "So, would she be related to Gregor?"

The group of outlaws began to laugh wholeheartedly. Link awkwardly sat, as he did not see the joke.

"Sadly, yes. They're first cousins I believe. Gregor was nothing but a reject! His younger cousin had all the serious knowledge." A man with a black beard explained. "I mean, you have someone as good as Guinevere and then you have someone as pathetic as Gregor! Something went wrong in that gene pool."

Link frowned, as this did not make sense to him. Gregor seemed to be quite smart and skilled. If Gregor was only mediocre, what would that make Guinevere? Link was curious to find out, but for some reason he didn't really ever want to cross paths with this bounty hunter.

The man who kicked Link began to explain. "Gregor was part of this group for a while. He told us all his stories. One day, Good Lady Gwyn came to the desert and beat him to a pulp and then gave him a serious talking to. We made fun of him for weeks. Eventually he left our group and said he would make his own. You may believe Gregor was good, but Guinevere is much better."

You probably wonder why I took the time to tell you about this conversation, well you will see in time why Guinevere will be of great importance to the heroes of this tale. When she has her time, you will have to wait and see. Much like Link would.

"I don't think that's Gwyn out there. Gwyn would have attacked by now." A man murmured as he looked through his telescope. "I think Gwyn is taller and a little broad in the shoulders. This girl seems to be slender and only average height."

The red haired woman grabbed the telescope from the man's hand and hissed. "Let me have a look!"

She was quiet for a moment and then let out a quiet gasp and dropped the scope into the sand. "S-s-s-s-she just... disappeared right before my eyes!"

"WHAT?" the group gasped.

"No way!" shouted another woman.

"Yes! Just now! She disappeared into a bunch of diamond shapes or something! I've never seen anything like it!" the red haired woman explained.

"A witch!" shouted the bearded man.

While the chaos unfolded at the outlaw camp. Link got a sinking feeling in his gut that this had something to do with the dark sword he had removed from the ground and "destroyed" back in the chamber.

* * *

Zelda laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling in wonder. Gordo was indeed quite a charming and kind young man. He was also very sweet and thoughtful. On top of that, he was handsome. He was indeed everything almost every young girl dreams and fantasizes about. Zelda knew in her heart, he would be a good, political choice for a husband if the time came. Zelda remembered this thought and sort of put it in the back pocket of the far reaches of her mind.

Gordo had indeed made her laugh and smile genuinely, much like Link had done.

After a day of what was pure fun and folly, Zelda was now alone again. And what better thing to do when you're alone then to read?

Zelda sat up and opened her nightstand's drawer. It was time to air out more dirty laundry. She decided to read some of the hero's letters this time though.

She randomly picked from the middle of the stack and began her adventure into the past once again.

* * *

_Dearest Zelda,_

_I apologize for my lateness and my lack of letters. My eldest daughter has found your letters and has threatened to expose me to my wife._

_I have tried to be so incredibly discrete all these years about you and me, now I have been found out. I am so sorry my love. I had hidden your messages in a box in the goat stables, but you just can't hide things from children anymore. From now on, I will try to burn your letters after reading them, to protect you._

_My eldest daughter does not know about Laertes though, so that is good. I hope she does not find out either._

_I wish I could be with you during your pregnancy. I am thrilled at this news. I do not think the child is mine though. As you said, we have not been together in months it seems. So the child must be Erik's._

_As I said, I wish I could be with you, but right now I think we should keep things low key and just not see each other for a while. Even though it kills me to even think about that._

_I still love you the most, Zelda. I wish to be by your side at all times, but that is not possible right now. I have had to fork numerous amounts of rupees out to my daughter so she doesn't tell anyone. I am almost broke and can barely afford the postage of this letter because of that girl._

_I have no idea if she'll keep her promise of silence either, so I have to keep an eye on her._

_Please, do not hate me._

_Love,_

_-Your Hero_

* * *

"So they were found out by his daughter." Zelda bit her lip. "So that means there are people in the hero's family that may actually know about this yet. If they know about this, then the truth about Laertes isn't far behind. The daughter probably did find out eventually."

Zelda folded the letter back up and placed it back in its envelope. "I wonder how the hero's family is fairing nowadays. I don't hear much about them. Come to think of it, some of them use to work for the royal family, but now there are none... that's strange. I remember one taught me how to shoot a bow, and another one taught me how to ride a horse. They were quite proud of their ancestry. I wonder what happened to them."

Zelda docked her head to the side and tried to think of an answer. "Perhaps this can be a little side project of mine when I'm not trying to save the country from utter disaster."

Then there was a knock at the door. Zelda's eyes shifted to the entrance and then down to the pile of letters next to her. "Just a minute!" she called.

Zelda just knew it was Mihari. She didn't even need to hear his voice rumble through the door. "Your majesty, it is me. I have some very grave news to tell you! You must hurry up and open this door!"

The young queen sensed the distress in Mihari's voice and decided to act upon it. She hid the letters back in the drawer and rushed to unlock the latch on the door. She wasted no time in opening the door for Mihari and looking him in the eye with all the seriousness she could.

"What is it?" Zelda questioned.

"It's... it's... a tornado! In Kakariko! Your majesty, it is devastating!" Mihari cried out dramatically, trying to put on his best act of concern.

Zelda's eyes widened as she whispered. "What?"

"Oh your majesty, it is horrible! The village is in shambles they say! The orphanage your mother founded has been completely leveled along with all the children with it!" Mihari panicked and grabbed the young queen's shoulders desperately. "You must do something! Quickly your majesty, think of something!"

Zelda thought she was going to faint. Flooding in Ordon and now tornados in Kakariko, what was next? The village had never been much in the first place, but now Zelda tried to imagine what it would look like after a twister blew through it.

"You majesty, I realize this is a shock. But you need to make a statement." Mihari urged. "Your people need you!"

"W-when did this happen?" Zelda asked with her eyes still as big as saucers. "When?"

"Well, I don't really..."

She gripped Mihari's purple poncho by the collar and yanked his face down to hers. "Tell me when this happened, NOW!"

Mihari sighed and nodded. "About two hours ago. We had not received any correspondence prior. How can you expect that anyway? They were busy trying not to get sucked up."

"Two hours..." Zelda murmured. "Please dispatch all available response teams. I will think of something else later."

"Very well, your majesty." Mihari bowed like a proud actor. "Your wish is my command."

Zelda nodded and bit her lip thoughtfully as she narrowed her eyes.

The magician smiled before leaving and happily said. "You know, my offer still stands. All you must do is say the word, and I will look after everything in three days."

Zelda shook her head violently. "My people need a monarch, not an entertainer."

Mihari realized what the queen was saying and chuckled and then took his leave. "My thoughts exactly."

It was not until Mihari was halfway down the hall that Zelda realize what the magician had said. He had indirectly called Zelda the entertainer.

It was too late to say anything. Instead Zelda frowned and waited for the magician to vanish around the corner before she made her way to her office.

Mihari on the other hand was grinning from ear to ear. _Any day now. Any day now and it will be all over._

_Mihari, you will not win. _Zelda frowned as she began her commute to her office.

So, who would win this battle of iron will? Not just will, but of pride. The magician who believes he can outwit anyone? Or the young queen who may be a little naive but is as quick as a whip? Place your bets my friend, as things are about to get very hairy down in Hyrule.

* * *

**Review! Oh, and I'm working on the very early stages of my next story (which I believe will be another Zelda fic). Rest assured, this does not mean this fic is anywhere close to the end. I just like having some stuff prepared in advance. I would like your input nonetheless. What type of narration style would you like to see? Please go to my profile and vote on the poll there. The poll will close when this story is near its end. I may also do a poll later where you can vote on titles. Thank you.**


	21. Decisions

**Act 21: **_**Decisions**_

"You know... I like you kid. I'm not sure why though." The man who kicked Link laughed. "What's your name?"

"Um... Link." Link replied slowly and cautiously.

The man kneeled down and extended his hand. "Link, how would you like to join us? There's something about you that tells me that you'd make a good addition to this crew."

Link looked down at the hooded man's hand and then around at the hidden faces of his protégés. He made a pathetic grin as he weighed his options and then nodded before accepting the man's hand and shaking it. "Okay."

"Good! Great!" the man laughed as he pulled Link to his feet. "If you didn't join us, we would have had to kill you."

Link swallowed hard as many of the other hooded outlaws surrounded him and greeted him with hugs, pats on the back and handshakes of warm welcome.

"Tonight we celebrate!" the man cheered. "Celebrate the death of Gregor Warhawk! Celebrate the addition of a new member of our gang! Celebrate, just for the sake of celebrating!"

"Here here!" cheered the men and women of the group in unison as they punch the air victoriously.

Link did the same motion and repeated with less enthusiasm. "Here here."

The man who kicked Link then put his arm around his shoulder's and escorted him away from the crowd, as if he wanted to speak with him in private.

The rest of the outlaws picked up instruments and began to sing and dance happily around the fire.

Link looked up at the man with a worried look in his eyes before he asked. "Who are you people?"

The man pulled back his hood to reveal his face. He was middle-aged and his face was covered with scars. His hair was blond and he had sad blue eyes. "I'm Tross, leader of the Faron Few."

"Faron Few?" Link narrowed his eyes at the name.

"Outlaw group. We're not as infamous as the Kakariko Bandits or the Clan of the Rising Sun or the Moonlight Gang. But all the same, we're outlaws." Tross explained. "We've been hunted for quite some time. You heard us talking about Guinevere back there, right?"

"How couldn't I?" Link raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah, well Good Lady Gwyn has a few friends who are in the same profession. The profession of the manhunt." Tross nodded. "Well, I guess they aren't really friends, more like _competition_."

"Okay."

"Well, bounty hunting is a cut throat profession. Some make it, some don't. I tried my hand at it before I got to this point in my life. It's tough. All the big boys and girls in the field beat you to the punch before you even catch the scent of the criminal." Tross shrugged. "It's hard to keep food in your mouth when someone is always stealing the bread off your table, if you know what I'm saying."

"Yeah, I do."

"My point here is that this is dangerous business." Tross shook his head. "I've lost a lot of good kids like you out here over the years to hunters. They're like a pack of wild dogs. Some hunt alone, others in groups. For example; it is my understanding that Gwyn prefers to hunt alone."

"Good kids like me?" Link laughed, remembering exactly why he was where he was.

"Yeah, good kids like you; kids that could have made something out of their lives, but instead decided to take up the lackluster life of a criminal." Tross nodded. "Like, look at you! You could be a knight, easily! Maybe even a member of the noble royal guard!"

Link just laughed and smiled. "I don't think I'd ever be accepted back into normal society. Being a knight would be out of the question."

Tross gave the young hero a look of curiosity. "Oh? Why's that?"

Link swallowed hard. _I might as well tell him. I've got nothing to lose. He's a crook anyway, so who is he to judge?_

"Well?" Tross asked.

"I was found guilty of killing King Gengo." Link exhaled heavily.

Tross almost fell over when he heard this statement. "Are you serious? You're the one everyone was talking about? You? But you're just a kid!"

Link nodded solemnly. "I think I was framed though."

"Framed you say?" Tross widened his eyes.

Link then began to explain his suspicions to the outlaw leader. After all was said and done Tross merely nodded and said. "So for you there is no going back now, I guess. Everyone has experienced a little injustice in the past I suppose. But this is the cherry on the cake."

Link then felt this stomach growl loudly. "Why did you have to say cake?"

Tross laughed loudly and smiled. "I'm sure we have _something_ that will appease your appetite."

* * *

The logs in the royal office's fireplace burned a brilliant orange, like a fiery sunset in the autumn sky. They snapped, crackled and popped like the queen's favourite cereal as a group of older looking men with grey beards and black pointed caps shuffled in and made themselves comfortable in front of the queen's desk.

"Take note!" Zelda's voice chimed through her office as her arsenal of senior advisors and councilmen watched her intently and hung off of her every word. The scribe raised his quill pen, ready to write the queen's statement. "It has come to my attention... no, no, no."

Zelda bit her lower lip, unsure of how she would word her statement. "That sounds too disconnected and formal."

One of her advisors stepped forward and raised his voice. "But your majesty, you are the queen. You are suppose to come across as formal as possible."

Zelda tapped her temple. "Yes, but don't you understand the undermining factor here? These people have just had everything they have ever cared about blown down like it was a nothing more than a stack of hay! Then I just sit here and comment and say '_oh, what a pity shame. Here are some rupees to fix your shed. I will stop giving you payouts after about two weeks because I can use it for more fine china to eat off of'_. Ridiculous! "

Zelda rolled her eyes as her advisors and councilmen remained silent. She spoke once more. "I can't stand to just sit here and feel sorry about a place I have never even seen!"

Yes, Zelda had never been out of the castle before. Well, actually her coronation was in Castle Town, so I suppose she had indeed left the castle ground before. But, she had never experienced the world outside of the secure walls that barricaded Castle Town and the open fields of Hyrule.

This was when a very interesting idea flowed into the mind of the young queen. She then spoke frankly and swiftly. "I wish to go to Kakariko tomorrow."

"What!?" the advisors and councilmen gasped. They began to chatter amongst each other about the dangers about making such a move.

"You all heard me correctly." Zelda folded her hands in front of her mouth as she rested her elbows on the desk. "They need to know that the queen feels their pain and is suffering right along with them. The people need a monarch, not a ghost who will not show herself."

"It's far too dangerous and stupid!"

"Her majesty must be out of her mind!"

"Her majesty mingling amongst rubble and debris? Not a chance."

The advisors continued their outraged chatter. Zelda again rolled her eyes. "Say what you will gentlemen, but I do have every intention in the world of going to Kakariko tomorrow. I wish to see the damage first hand and to communicate with the victims as well. That way I will be able to come up with a sufficient action plan based on my experiences, and not those of a scout who could possibly lie to me."

One of the advisors spoke out again. "This is unheard of! Your father never-

"My father was not a good king at all! It will do you all well to realize that he is gone and that there is a new royal wearing the crown now! As long as I wear the crown, we will do things my way!" Zelda raised her voice and made herself sound incredibly powerful and like a queen. "My father is dead. I tell myself every night before I fall asleep that Hyrule can do better. Hyrule will do better. Hyrule will once again achieve the greatness that it once held in the time of Laertes. I promise you that, gentlemen!"

The advisors fell silent; they had nothing left to say to the young lady. Her heart was set and her mind was made up.

"I will make arrangements for your caravan immediately, you majesty." One of the advisors bowed before leading the line of underlings out of the queen's office.

Zelda waited for the door to slam shut and as soon as it made the heavenly sound, she sunk down into her chair and sighed as she covered her face with her hands. "You're the queen. At the end of the day, everyone will do what you want. Just remember that Zelda. Do not break. Do not let Mihari win. You **can** do this."

* * *

Mihari stood outside the queen's office door and watched as her councilmen and advisors left with their feathers ruffled. Mihari covered his mouth with his hand, trying to cover his smile. "My oh my, what has the queen done to you fine gents this evening to get you all flustered like this?"

"She is being a liberal minded brat that has no respect for the traditional way of doing things!" one of the advisors jeered. "A monarch going to a disaster zone? Ludicrous that's what it is!"

"What do you mean?" Mihari docked his head to the right, confused by what was being said to him.

"Her majesty has ultimately decided to pay a visit to Kakariko Village. She wishes to examine the wreckage first hand. She also wishes to speak personally with commoners and address them in person." Another advisor explained.

Mihari raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? When was the last time something like that was done?"

The advisors looked at each other for the answer, and somehow came up with it without even communicating. "On royal record no one since Laertes and his mother, Zelda the Sixth. But they did not do what the current queen is wanting to do. They did not walk about the destruction."

"So you are telling me that in times of dire need, the only monarchs to have stepped up to the plate in the last hundred or so years has been a mama's boy and his mama?" Mihari asked cynically.

"W-well, usually the monarch s-sends their heirs to do such things." Stuttered another one of the advisors.

Mihari shook his head dramatically. "I think it is a wonderful thing the queen is doing. You old geezers would find it best to adjust to her ideas, I am sure she has many good ones. She is a most brilliant child. She is also your queen. Now get out of my sight."

The advisors dispersed after nearly fainting from Mihari's intimidating antics. The magician merely grinned and chuckled to himself. _Silly people._

* * *

In the eye of the storm, overlooking Lake Hylia a lone woman stood, trying to look through the fog that the lake was producing. "Where did you go, you bastard? Jumping would have been suicide. There's no way you jumped, you're not smart enough to do that."

She stood for a moment longer, looking down over the wooden fence that was near the Great Bridge of Hylia. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to listen for sounds other than her horse and the rain crashing to the earth. "I lost the trail. Damn rain made me lose the tracks."

She frowned as if she had eaten something sour as she returned to her grey horse and climbed onto its back. The spurs on her boots clicked and clanked with each step. "If this rain keeps up, I could lose everything. It makes hunting nearly impossible."

The woman exhaled heavily in frustration as she heard the wind whistle with a haunting tone. It was as if it was trying to whisper a cryptic message to anyone who would lend their ear.

"Winds are changing." The woman whispered to herself as she bit her thumb. "Might be time to move on from Hyrule."

The rain poured down as a clap of thunder boomed through the sky. The horsewoman slowly placed a pipe in her mouth, produced a matchbook, struck the match and lit the pipe's contents. She waved the match around in the air to put it out before discarding it on the ground.

Large puffs of smoke blew from her lips as she sat on her horse and stared pensively into the darkness of the storm.

Her thoughts stirred each time she inhaled another round of poisonous smoke from the pipe. "Or maybe it is a sign that I need to stay in Hyrule a little bit longer."

The thunder roared again, followed by a flash of lightning. The woman looked up with a less than worried gaze and sighed. "I suppose this means I should not stay _here_ any longer."

Her tobacco pipe began to stop smoking as the tears of heaven had soaked the contents of the pipe's mouth.

She nodded and then spoke loudly before putting the pipe away. "Wilhelm, this is your last warning! If you do not show yourself, I will hunt you down one more time and I will gut you like a fish! Do you hear me!?"

There was no answer, but the woman knew her prey was indeed listening. She sighed and then kicked her horse's sides. The horse stood up on its hind legs before rushing into a canter and then a gallop and running across the Great Bridge of Hylia and vanishing into the stormy night.

* * *

Mihari smiled at the young queen as he took a seat at the other side of her office.

Zelda's eyes were laced with annoyance at the magician's presence. _I really wish he would stop staring at me like that. It's creepy._

"What is it you want this time, Mihari?" the young queen finally spoke after a long stare down competition. "I wish to go to bed."

"Well, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of your choice to visit Kakariko and not fold to the wishes of your council." Mihari smiled. "You are very wise. Your father always did as they said."

Zelda's eyes didn't even dare to blink. She was use to Mihari's charades. "What do you really want, Mihari?"

The magician stood up and sighed. "Straight to the point I see."

"Just get on with it." Zelda cleared her throat as she began to play with a small ruler on her desk by slowly toggling it back and forth.

"I think while you are in Kakariko, you should try to get out to Ordon as well. It would only be fair. If they Ordonians found out that the queen went to Kakariko but not their village, they would be quite upset."

Zelda stopped playing with the ruler and looked up, realizing the magician actually had a point. "I suppose that would be very true."

"Why, snubbing them would greatly upset them. After all, they were a disaster zone first, and they are experiencing some awful flooding."

Zelda was quiet as she weighed her options. "I could be gone for a while. Who will look after things here while I am away?"

The magician smiled as he voluntarily raised his hand.

The young queen frowned and ignored the magician's actions. "I suppose I could leave Carmine or Percy in charge while I am gone."

"Carmine or Percy? Those old geezers can barely make it to the washroom in time; let alone carry out the royal schedule!" Mihari gasped dramatically outraged.

"Yes but you see... they know what they are doing and they won't do anything ridiculous while I am away." Zelda smiled sarcastically at Mihari. "My father trusted them, and they always came through. Therefore I will trust them as well."

The magician balled his fists in frustration. "Very well then, your majesty. Shall I go and tell everyone of your wishes to go to Ordon as well and have this side trip added?"

"Yes." Zelda nodded as she stood up from her chair.

Mihari went to the door but stopped short. He stared at the horizontal painting that was mounted on the wall next to the door. "Lovely piece of art."

Zelda narrowed her eyes as she looked from the magician to the picture. "Oh... I suppose."

"_The Two Brothers_." The magician read the title allowed. "Oh yes. This is depicting when Laertes fought Perceval on the Bridge of Eldin all those years ago. What did they call that battle again?"

"_The Battle of Blood._" Zelda replied sullenly as she remembered her history lessons. "After being seriously injured, Laertes somehow managed to trick Perceval into thinking he was dead and then stabbed him heart and killed him."

"Oh yes, I remember now." Mihari tried to hide his smile of nostalgia. "History could have been very different had Laertes lost. It was a very close fight indeed if I recall correctly."

_You were probably there so of course you would remember. _Zelda watched as the magician ran his fingers down the painting.

Laertes was on left side of the portrait, wearing a white uniform and a blue cape. With his sword held aloft, he was running across the bridge at Perceval, who was wearing a black uniform and a red cape and posing in a similar position. On Laertes' side of the portrait, the viewer could see all the knights and bystanders watching in worry as the future king ran at his brother. At the very front of the crowd, Zelda VI was depicted with her left hand in front of her mouth and her face creased with concern. On the right side (Percival side), there was no one but a shadowy figure wearing a purple cloak. The sun appeared to be shining down on the people on the left side of the portrait, whereas the right side seemed to be all shadows. In the skyline there were three gently sketched out faces, portraying the Golden Goddesses. They appeared to have looks of sadness and disapproval on their oil based faces.

Mihari ran his finger across the gold engraving for the title and caption. He began to read it aloud. _"'There is nothing glorious, romantic or profound about killing another man. When that man is a brother, goddesses weep and angels cry.' -King Laertes the First of Hyrule_."

"That was one of the only comments he ever made about that battle." Zelda looked down at the floor, reflecting on her family's history. She knew in her heart that Mihari was the one standing on the far right in the shadows. She knew Mihari was the reason for that fight. She knew Mihari was the reason that a mother had to watch her own sons try to kill each other.

"Well, that is quite a profound quote if I must say so. It's right up there with Zelda the Fourth's '_Visions of the Future' _speech." Mihari chuckled. "Well, maybe not."

Zelda sighed as she recalled the speech word for word in her head. Like many other young people in Hyrule, the speech had been drummed into her brain. It was a historical and profound speech made by the Sage of Time many ages before. To the current day of this tale, many Hylians cited a small portion of the speech as the oath of Hyrule.

"Good night, your majesty." Mihari turned and bowed before leaving.

"Yes, good night." Zelda nodded as the door closed behind the magician.

Mihari walked down the hallway with a grin so broad that it would disturb even a circus freak. He was relishing in the past. He knew what he had to do from that point on. He knew he would not fail again.

* * *

**Review it my pretties.**


	22. Bounty Hunter is Coming to Town

_(A/N: Holy crap! I have been so bloody busy! I have done enough writing in these last few weeks that my fingers need a break lol. But I'm not done yet! I still have one more essay to do and then my exams! Wish me luck! –Infamous 1/20/13)_

* * *

**Act 22: **_**Bounty Hunter is coming to Town**_

Link slept soundly that night, surprisingly. But though he slept well, his dreams were haunted by the events of the day and the recent past. Some were complete fiction, others were quite factual.

He could not wake himself up from the constant nightmares. One moment Zelda was pulling the rope to raise the blade of a guillotine to drop onto his neck, the next moment he heard Gregor screaming for him to run away.

He rolled around restlessly in his supplied sleeping bag under the makeshift lean-to that had been constructed with sheets and sticks.

In his dreams he heard a voice. It was a woman's voice by the sounds of it.

"_Link. Link. You must find me. Add my power to yours."_

"Who are you?" Link mumbled in his sleep.

"_Find me Link."_

Link's face winced at this lucid voice, but he did not awaken. "Where do I look?"

"_You know the place."_

Link cracked his eyes open after the voice ceased to speak. He sat up and scratched his head as he mumbled. "I know the place?"

He looked around him to see the dozens of bodies of the other outlaws who were fast asleep. The entire lean-to was haunted by a heavy breathing sound that was being created by the lucid sleepers.

Link ran his hands down his face in exhaustion and frustration. _What was that?_

* * *

The white wax candle on the queen's bedside had melted down substantially. The hot melted wax had poured over the sides of the candle and cooled. It created a look of a candle that would belong in a dungeon.

Zelda cared not about the condition of some two rupee candle. Her eyes were glued to an envelope that had some very interesting writing on it. It was Zelda VI's handwriting no doubt.

"_His Last Letter..." _Zelda whispered slowly and quietly. She couldn't decide if she wanted to open the note or not. It appeared to have only been opened once; unlike the other letters where it appeared that the old queen had gone back and reread them several times.

Young Zelda ultimately chose to open the letter, as she had invaded their privacy enough already. There would be no problem in reading one last memo from the hero himself.

She did her dos and opened the envelope, pulled out the parchment inside and unfolded it quickly. Her eyes then rested on the wall of text written.

* * *

_Dearest Zelda,_

_My time is coming to an end. By the time you get the letter I may have all ready passed on._

_I regret not getting to see you once last time. Though we have aged, had children and then grandchildren; we could never seem to quit each other, no matter what. I think that is true love, absolutely._

_You say you are no longer Queen of Hyrule and that you abdicated to our son quite some time ago. I don't think that is a just statement. You will always been a queen in the eyes of the people. You still write very regally, as if you were a queen (haha). _

_Please do not be too sad when I go, for we all have our time. The time I had with you is so valuable to me, especially right now. I don't think you know. I reflect upon our time together and I see that our only wrong was being in love, as we could never officially be together. I love you very much Zelda, never ever forget that. _

_I wonder what you must be feeling right now as you read this. As I said, do not be too sad. I did my duty for this land, and after my duty was done I had no idea as to what I should have done next. You gave me something to live for again and something to constantly pursue. It wasn't a quest or an adventure that merely takes six months or so to complete. No, it was our adventure together that means the most to me._

_I can hardly forget the first time we saw each other. I was a beast of all things. It was an unfortunate circumstance that our first meeting had to be at such a time, but it had to be done._

_I remember when I was supposed to deliver the Ordon Sword to you, but before I could even leave my village, the whole slew of events happened. You've heard this story though. But you did not hear about what I thought before I got ready to leave._

_When Rusl told me that I would get to go to Hyrule Castle, I was thrilled. I thought I would even get to meet you, as silly as it sounds! I actually fantasized about it. I fantasized about what you would look like and how you would act. I had heard of your beauty, but I had no idea that they were all wrong. You were much more beautiful than what they had described. You were not just beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well, I could see that. The way you suffered for your people so selflessly. You truly were a caring person, and you still are._

_I am trying to get as much as I possibly can into this letter, as it could be my last. You told me that you suspect within the next five years you and I will have a great grandchild? You really think your grandson will marry this girl he has met? Kids these days are starting families so young it seems. Goddesses I feel old!_

_Though my wife has passed on, my children and their families are well, all thanks to you. They enjoy their jobs at the castle and enjoy working closely with the royal family. It truly was a most brilliant idea, Zelda. They will be able to live comfortably for generations to come, thanks to you._

_I don't want to end this letter because I know how disappointing it will be when you stop reading (you always said you hated the ending of my letters because of this). I don't want you to be disappointed, so I think I'll just continue to jabber away (haha)._

* * *

Young Zelda lifted her head from the letter and yawned. She could see that the letter went on a little more and it was even double sided. The hero truly didn't want to stop writing. This letter was his last breath to the former queen so he obviously wanted to make it count.

Zelda did not read the rest, as she could see the paper had been slightly dampened at one point in time. Zelda assumed this was from teardrops as there was so little of this dried paper; it was the only thing that made sense. She knew the rest of the letter was going to be very sad and she did not feel like reading it and upsetting herself.

Instead, Zelda opted to fold the letter back up and place it in its envelope. She then sighed. "I need to hide these in a better spot. I just know Mihari will tear the room apart snooping through my things. If he finds these, it's game over for me."

Then the young queen had the perfect idea. She knew exactly where she would hide the relics. She would hide them right in plain sight.

* * *

The rain poured down like the gods and goddesses above were emptying their tubs of used bathwater upon the land below.

The lone horsewoman dismounted her horse and tied it up at the open stable outside of Castle Town. "Stay here, boy." She murmured as she gently ran her hand down the horse's snout. "I have to check on something."

With the spurs on her boots clicking and clanking with each step, the horsewoman climbed the steps and crossed the stone bridge that lead into town.

She stopped in the middle of the bridge and looked over the side to see the water flowing violently. She focused her eyes on this and noticed that the water in the moat had risen. "I've either been up in the mountains for too long and don't remember anything or the water his risen to quite a dangerous level."

The woman shook her head in dismay and she marched her way through the tall, wooden doors and into Castle Town.

* * *

Within the gates of Castle Town, all of the lights were out. There were no pub crawlers, ladies of the night or gamblers running amuck like usual. Even the knights knew that it was okay to take the night off. The rain had kept them all indoors it seemed. This left the lone horsewoman on her own in the streets of Castle Town.

Instead of going directly to one place, she wandered every alley and walkway, as if she was inspecting the town for something.

She strolled by a fancy dress shop, three general equipment stores, a polo store, six blacksmiths, four inns, two churches, a music shop, a bug shop (which looked as strange as it sounds), a potion shop, a costume shop, eight pubs, three butcher shops, seven bakeries, ten gift shops, a tourist information booth, a bank and many other places.

None of the sights the woman saw seemed out of place. She walked down the market street and saw the abandoned stalls and empty baskets and barrels. She nodded with a frown, "If there is no food, people cannot bring anything to market. If people cannot bring anything to market, people go hungry."

She recited this basic law of the world again and again in her head before taking a turn down a darkened alley and slowly marching down the stairs. There was nothing in this alley except a lonely pub. The old, beaten up sign next to its door read 'Telma's Bar'.

The woman forced the door open and bright lights emitted, followed by music, shouting, laughing and swearing.

"Guinevere!" many voices cheered from inside the bar.

The woman smiled subtly as she entered and slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Mihari stood tall in the wreckage of Kakariko Village with a charming yet unnerving smile on his face.

He crossed his arms and wandered about. He did not look left nor right, instead he stared straight ahead into the darkness.

The village was sad and appeared to be dead. Perhaps it was even sadder that the royal magician was now walking its ruined avenues.

The dust flew down the dirt road along with small nails and bolts from the collapsed houses that lined the streets like spectators at a sporting event.

Mihari had a look of pride and dignity on his face as he kicked a lone jar with a few green rupees inside of it down the street. It was perhaps some orphan child's makeshift piggybank. Mihari only laughed at the idea. "They won't need that where they are now; unless they need change to pay the ferryman to cross the river of souls in the underworld. Of course, I'm sure Demise wouldn't mind if children rode for free. These ones were orphans anyway, they could use a break! Hahaha!"

The magician's laugh merely echoed back to him through the canyon that was home to the village. "I don't know who her majesty expects to entertain here tomorrow. There's no one here!"

Mihari cracked his knuckles and played with his purple poncho thoughtfully. "Well, with the queen out of town that'll give me enough time to snoop about the castle freely and possibly cause some sort of chaos in Castle Town. Now... what kind of chaos should I ensue this time?"

The dark magician stretched a bit and then yawned, as if growing tired of his own antics. Mihari had always been a bit of an actor though, so he adored his own performances. "Would it be too cliché to summon a monster? I haven't seen a good monster romp in over a millennium it seems! I suppose it would not make a lot of sense though. Maybe another weather related event is the way to go. Oh how I miss those days when you could get away with calling upon a dragon to appear from nowhere to destroy a town." Mihari sighed in disappointment. "Oh the dickens with it! I'll summon a monster, just for nostalgic purposes! Sometimes you've just got to do things for yourself."

He took one last quick scan around the village and then nodded. "Everything is in order for tomorrow. That's good."

With a snap of his fingers he dissolved into a wall of yellow and purple diamonds and disappeared from sight.

* * *

Guinevere's brown, leather, knee high boots with golden spurs clicked on the wooden floors of the bar.

Thick smoke rose up through the air from tobacco pipes, cigars and cigarettes as the drunken singing and laughter of men haunted the building.

There was a girl over in the far left corner of the bar playing a piano and singing a song that was hard to hear over the other customers. But it sounded like it was being sung by several of the drunken men in the bar, and not very well either.

"Guinevere!" chanted a group of people around a table in the back.

"Where ya been, girly?" a stout man with short black hair called. He adjusted his silver armour a bit as he waved the woman over. "Didn't get lost up at Snowpeak, did ya? I gave you a good map!"

Guinevere ignored the man's comments and instead took a seat at the bar. As soon as she sat down people began to approach her. They asked about tales of her travels, but she answered none.

"Ay, look who's back in town!" the bartender laughed as he wiped down the counter. "Now it's a party!"

Guinevere sighed as she fixed her long, black trench coat and then her long, pointed, forest green cap. They were soaking wet, as was her hair.

She placed her cap on the counter and then flipped her long, mousy, brown hair over the one shoulder and began to wring it out like a wet towel. The water dripped onto the floor, much to the bartender's dismay.

"Feel better now?" the bartender groaned.

"Almost." She smiled sarcastically. "If you'd let me put my feet up, it would be perfect."

The bartender scoffed before turning around. "What can I get ya? We're running low on some stuff, so don't be upset if your drink is a little skinny this evening."

"Just the usual would be fine, Horace." Guinevere nodded as she began to wring her green cap out onto the floor as well.

"Scotch on the rocks it is. You're one easy woman to please." The bartender laughed as he began to prepare drinks.

Guinevere put her hat back on her head and sighed. "What would please me more is if I could make a catch someday soon. This rain has been making hunting absolutely murder."

"Ah, don't give up Gwyn. You're still the best hunter in the country. You'll get your guy." The bartender reassured her as he turned around with a tray of drinks. "Okay! Who ordered the straight rum?"

Guinevere grabbed her glass and ran her fingers down it thoughtfully. It was as if she was contemplating something. "I don't usually do this."

She raised the alcohol to her lips and took a big sip. She slammed the glass down on the table and then reached into her trench coat for something.

A drunken man put his arm around her shoulder and burped. "Ey! Gwyn! How are the criminal's biting? You ready to pack it all in!"

She threw the man off of her as soon as she realized he was just another washed up bounty hunter who had become nothing more than a drunkard. It was a tragic yet classic case.

The bartender leaned forward and yelled. "Take a hike Jasper! Gwyn doesn't have time for you."

"Bounty hunters always have time for each other!" the man hiccupped.

The bartender chuckled. "You aren't a bounty hunter anymore. You're nothing but a drunk. Maybe if you caught a crook, you'd be able to pay your bar tab."

The customers around the bar laughed wholeheartedly at the drunken man's expense. The man stood up and burped again before heading to the door.

"Sorry about that Gwyn, you know how it is here." The bartender laughed nervously.

Guinevere nodded as she removed a piece of folded paper from her coat. The bartender raised his eyebrows as she unfolded it out onto the counter.

"I am looking for this man." She mumbled and pointed down at the sketch on the paper.

The bartender raised his eyebrows as he realized it was a wanted poster for five thousand rupees for the capture of a man named Wilhelm. He scanned the page and read it aloud.

"_Wanted: dead or alive for the unlawful slaying of innocent people. Wilhelm of Kakariko Village is armed and dangerous. Reward of five thousand rupees."_

The bartender nodded. "This is very unlike you, asking for help. It must be bad out there."

Guinevere tucked the paper back into her coat and sighed. "Have you seen him or heard anything of him?"

Bartenders were often the people to go to for gossip, as they heard a lot from those who came to their bars. Bartenders would often act as an emotional crunch for those who came in and wished to vent their problems to someone who would lend an ear. Guinevere knew this, and this is why she asked.

The bartender shrugged. "Well, there were some shady fellas in here the other day talking about how they and some Wilhelm guy were going to be meeting up south of Kakariko. I don't know if it's the same Wilhelm though."

Guinevere smiled and nodded as she stood up from her seat. "Thank you Horace."

"Where you going? Aren't you going to say hello to your friends in the back there? It's not like we haven't seen your face around here in months."

Guinevere reached into her green tunic's pocket and placed some rupees down on the counter to pay for her drink.

"See you around Horace." Guinevere merely waved to the party at the back table and exited the bar without another word.

* * *

**Review it guys. I didn't want to spend that much time working on Guinevere (because I realize she's an OC and reading OC stuff can be boring), but I needed to so I could move the story ahead a bit because she's going to be an important figure in this story as we move forward. I just needed to get her official introduction out of the way. I want her to be sort of a harsh embodiment of the Hero of Twilight.**


	23. Tasks

_(A/N: It is exam time here! I am thrilled to be finished with my first semester. On another note, who here is picking up Hyrule Historia? I know I am! –Infamous 1/25/13)_

* * *

**Act 23: **_**Tasks**_

Queen Zelda's royal caravan prepared to leave the stables of Castle Town early in the morning, to avoid any annoyances.

"Your majesty, I will take care of the castle while you are gone." Percy nodded as one of the knights assisted Zelda into her carriage. "Carmine also sends his best wishes. He is currently getting things in order for the meeting with the Zora's tomorrow."

Zelda sat inside her carriage and poked her head out the small door. "Oh, I completely forgot about the Zora meeting tomorrow! I was planning on going to that as old King Ralis is actually coming here!"

Percy scratched his head, causing his alabaster white hair to sway. "Oh, I'm sure he will be just fine with it. Ralis is quite understanding. After all, he has put up with every monarch of Hyrule from Zelda the Sixth to your father. As your history texts and family trees will attest, some of those rulers were quite, shall I say, _difficult_?"

Zelda somehow knew that Percy was speaking of her father. Gengo was indeed 'difficult' in the way that he was quite uneasy about making choices. This was a trait that would annoy anybody indeed. Zora's were generally known for being quite calm and diplomatic, and Ralis proved that.

"I have some notes and documents on my desk for that meeting! Please use them to your liking." Zelda nodded. "Oh, and tell Ralis that I apologize for my absence and wish him the best of luck with that strange fin rash he has."

Percy bowed after giving the queen a confused look, "of course, your majesty."

Mihari the magician scurried beside Percy before the knights closed the carriage door. He held out his hand and grabbed the door before it closed. "Your majesty, I must inform you that while you are gone, I will take the upmost liberty of-

"Get outta here Mihari! The queen left me and Carmine in charge, not you!" Percy sassed and then looked anxiously at the queen for approval. When he saw the queen nodded subtly, he continued. "We don't have time for your brown nosing ways! Unlike her father, her majesty has a tight schedule to uphold! And also unlike her father, she is not interested in what you have to say!"

Zelda smiled and tried not to laugh at the magician's shocked and disgusted face.

Mihari pursed his lips together so tight that they almost disappeared. It appeared as if he wanted to just kill everyone in the room but was holding his desires inside. "Very well then. Your majesty, fair knights, I wish you all luck and safety on your journey and I wish for all of you to return home in one piece."

With that the magician spun around on his heel and marched off.

When he was out of sight, everyone exchanged nervous glances as some of the knights chuckled softly. One even went as far as putting a brotherly arm around Percy and then thanking him for telling the magician off.

"Well, I shall not keep you a moment longer your majesty as the weather is incredibly nice this morning for a change. I wish you safe travels and safe returns." Percy bowed. "The castle will be waiting anxiously for your return."

Zelda smiled sweetly at the old man. "Thank you Percy, truly. Send my regards to Carmine as well."

And with that, the knight that assisted the queen into the carriage closed the door and then jumped on the back of the carriage to act as a security guard of sorts.

"Ready men?" called one of the captains as he mounted the seat at the front of the carriage.

The rest of the knights mounted horses surrounding the carriage and moved into a formation. When they were all in order, there were three knights on each side of the carriage. There were also two at the back and two at the front, leading the way. Then there were the two who sat on the driver's seat of the carriage and the two that stood on a step at the back of the carriage. The carriage itself was being pulled by a team of four brown horses.

The horses all let out neighs in unison as the knights kicked their sides and the driver of the carriage tugged on the reins.

Zelda sat inside the homey carriage with her lady-in-waiting, Ophelia by her side. One of the knights was going to sit with them inside the carriage but they decided not to as they felt they would be invading the queen's privacy.

Honestly, Zelda didn't even want her lady-in-waiting sitting with her. She wanted to be alone so she could begin drawing up an action plan. She did not want eyes watching her as she tried to create a plan, she could not think as well while being watched.

She felt the wheels of the carriage bump and roll as her journey into her own kingdom began. The very first time she would ever be outside of the safety of Castle Town. She was excited but afraid for she knew nothing of the outside world.

* * *

"I have to do what?" Link shouted in shock and awe. He almost fell onto the sandy earth below him he was so surprised.

"Well, if you want to be officially accepted as part of the group you kind of have to." Tross explained as he kicked the ground in guilt. He knew he probably should have told Link what was expected of him beforehand. "You have to prove that you are cut from the same cloth, ya know?"

Link looked down at the sand beneath his boots and bit his lip. _But I'm not cut from the same cloth at all._

"So, what do you say?" Tross smiled.

Link's face was frozen for a moment as he realized he would have to give an answer. If he declined he would probably be killed. If he agreed he could also be killed. But at least if he agreed the chances of death were less likely. "Okay... I'll do it."

"Good. Great!" Tross exclaimed. "We'll give you your tools back and we'll supply you with a horse. We will also escort you to the desert border. From there, it is all on you."

Link knew if he left the desert he would be breaking his exile agreement with the crown. But he knew that as long as he was not caught, he would not get into trouble and therefore he would keep his head mounted on his shoulders.

"So what am I supposed to do again?" Link asked nervously.

One of the female outlaws butted in and explained. "You got to go to the Snowpeak Ruins and find out what is up there that is so damn important that Good Lady Gwyn herself was up there for months!"

"Not just the ruins; Snowpeak in general. We don't know if she was in the ruins or somewhere else." Tross explained. "Some say there is treasure up there."

_Again with the treasure? What is it with the Hero of Twilight's descendants and treasure? _Link sighed.

"And if there is treasure, we're gonna get it first!" the woman interjected.

"What if this Gwyn woman is up there?" Link questioned.

All of the outlaws looked at each other with knowing glances. Tross then rested a hand on Link's shoulder and sighed. "Then son, pardon my Vidish but, your ass is grass."

Link swallowed hard as he thought about his ultimate doom being brought about by the Hero of Twilight's blood relative. Would she look like hero like Gregor did? Would she act like Gregor? Was she kind or callous? Would she have mercy on Link if they indeed crossed paths? Why was he so nervous about the possibility of a confrontation that may never be? I could not tell you.

"There'd be nothing left is you had a run in with her. She's mean!" whined one of the men in the back. "You hear stories about how kind, caring, chivalrous and honest the Hero of Twilight was, but that seems to have gotten lost somewhere in the gene pool. She sure is brave though."

"Aye, she's got the body of a woman, but the heart of a vicious beast." Another man added.

_Here they go again. _Link rolled his eyes. The more they spoke of Gwyn the more he wished to never meet her. They made her sound as if she were a saint for being able to beat, batter and destroy men in cold blood if need be. Link knew this was no gift, it was a curse. A self inflicted curse.

"I heard a story that she cut a guy's arm off then used that arm to beat the guy senseless. Killed him with his own hand!" a man explained dramatically.

"Oh you're just screwing with us now." Another man reply with sarcasm.

"I'm serious!"

"Where'd you hear that?"

"At the tavern in Ordon Village."

"What in Din's name were you doing in the Ordon Village Tavern? Don't you know that is a bounty hunter hotbed?" Tross scolded. "It's also owned by Gwyn's parents of all people!"

"I was undercover!" the man snapped.

"Doing what? Trying to give us all away to those Ordonian savages?" bellowed a woman. "They could have traced you back here! In fact I bet that's what that strange woman was last night! She's a damn hunting heathen!"

"Oy, he just wanted Ordon Goat Milk Ale. Bloody drunk he is." Scoffed another woman.

Link watched as the group of outlaws began to argue. He stood back as he watched Tross try to calm the group down. His thoughts returned to the strange female figure he saw the night before and the dream he had had.

"Everyone shut up! Don't you think we'd have been attacked in the night if that woman actually was a hunter?" Tross reasoned. "We got to assist Link here to the border too and prepare him for his journey."

"Okay..." everyone whined.

Link felt as if all eyes fell upon him when they really hadn't.

* * *

The strong winds blew harshly around the towers of Hyrule Castle. Mihari stood on the roof of the west tower and watched as the royal caravan departed through the secret entrance. He waited for a moment longer until the horses and the carriage were long out of sight. Then he waited several moments longer.

He crossed his arms and grinned as the wind blew his snow white hair around and around along with his poncho. "Now? No. Wait until they are in Kakariko and are stationary. I don't want them to see what is going on."

He tapped his fingers impatiently against his arm. "I still don't know what to summon."

"A large spider? A dragon? A basilisk? Harpies? Hmm..." he sighed.

The magician was silent for nearly thirty minutes before he broke out into hysterical laughter. "Oh-ho-ho-hooooo! I've got it now! It's **perfect**!"

He continued to laugh as the wind banged the flags on the tower's roof around. Mihari smiled broadly before snapping his fingers. "And the best part is... these fools won't know how to defeat it."

He then snapped his fingers and turned into a wall of yellow and purple diamonds.

* * *

Guinevere walked the streets of Castle Town by herself that morning. She spoke with no one and made eye contact with no one. There were many shocked and surprised glances at the young bounty hunter though, which she ignored.

Guinevere was a Hylian celebrity of sorts. Heralds ranted and raved about her latest excursions. People who didn't even know her, wrote books about her. People would often gather around to hear stories about her. Her face was on posters at adventure equipment shops, often telling people that only the 'serious' adventurers like Gwyn used a certain type of arrow/bomb/potion/something else. There were often children in the streets playing 'Outlaws and Bounty Hunters' and every girl wanted to play as Good Lady Gwyn.

Guinevere herself ignored this fame though, as she did not care much for it. In her mind she was just another person trying to get by. She knew the only reason people cared about her was because of her lineage.

While slowly walking down the market street a young boy ran up to her and began to beg and plead for her autograph.

Guinevere rolled her eyes and looked coldly down at the boy, "It is foolish to ask for a signature of a stranger. Now get lost, kid."

She continued walking, leaving the boy in the dust.

"She talked to me! She actually talked to me!" the little boy cheered. Even though she had been slightly rude to him, he still celebrated.

As she kept walking she found that more and more people followed her with their eyes. It was a surprisingly nice morning in Hyrule and many people were out on the streets.

Eventually Guinevere turned to a large stone building on her right and entered through its tall oak doors. The outer walls of the building were lined with wanted posters and missing persons reports. Most of the wanted crooks on the posters were nothing more than petty thieves who were only worth two hundred rupees at best. The missing persons reports were often posted by concerned family members, hoping someone who entered the building who have come across said person on their travels.

So what kind of building was this? You could say it was a bounty hunter's monastery. It was where hunters from all over the land pooled to collect rewards, share information and gather tips from their apprentices that they left in charge of watching for big risk and big reward criminals.

Guinevere entered the foyer of the building to the smell of cheap tobacco smoke and the sound of men yelling at each other.

The foyer was full of people, mostly men, trying to get a look at the newly posted wanted posters that the royal guard had issued mere moment before.

Guinevere stood back and watched the men fight and carry on like schoolchildren. She appeared to be waiting for something, or someone.

"Where is that good for nothing kid?" she mumbled and crossed her arms. "This is why I leave him here. He has no incentive."

A young man in his early teens emerged from the crowd with a huge smile on his face. He ran up to Guinevere and opened his arms wide. "Gwyn!"

He wore a long, dirty, beige tunic and tattered black pants. He carried a clipboard in his left hand.

"Cut the crap Toby. What do you got for me?" Guinevere sighed as she pushed the young man away with a lot of force.

"Uh..." the young man flipped through the papers on his clipboard. "I have about four really good ones and a bunch of small fries."

"Let me see." Guinevere waved her hand, wishing to hold the papers and review them.

Toby unclipped the papers and then placed them in Guinevere's leather gloved hand. She then began to sift through the papers as if sucking in the information in mere seconds.

Toby cleared his throat as his boss was distracted by the papers. "So, um... I was wonder if I could maybe go with you on this one?"

"BAHA!" Guinevere laughed out loud. "Good one."

Toby looked at his feet embarrassed. Of course she would say no, Guinevere always worked alone. She wouldn't even accept the help from her apprentice. The only reason she kept Toby around was so he could keep an eye on the big fish in the criminal pond for her while she was away.

"I need you here, Toby. I need you to gather information for me like you always have. When I come into town, I get what I need from you and then leave again. That is our system, and that is how it works." Guinevere shook her head seriously, not looking up from the pages Toby had handed to her. She frowned for a moment. "This is it?"

"Yes. Well... that's all that is good." Toby shrugged.

Guinevere rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if this is it, then that means the knights in Hyrule are doing their jobs now."

Toby began to laugh, realizing his boss's sarcastic joke. Guinevere loathed the royal guard because of how lazy and sloppy they could be. Toby knew that they had screwed up and intervened during several of Gwyn's chases, causing her to lose track of her criminal. Gwyn also thought they were nothing more than bumbling buffoons because of their lack of courage.

"Any news or tips?" Guinevere quizzed as she folded up the posters and placed them in one of the inside pockets of her black trench coat.

"You still looking for that Wilhelm guy?" Toby asked.

"Yeah."

"I overheard another group of hunters talking the other day about nabbing him south of Kakariko someday soon."

Guinevere groaned at this. She assumed this information about Wilhelm being south of Kakariko was indeed true. The fact other had caught on would only make her job more difficult.

Bounty hunting in Hyrule had several rules of thumb. One of which was that all fugitives that have a bounty on their heads are fair game. The hunting game often followed the 'first-come, first-severed' rule of; whoever caught the criminal collected the reward, no matter how close another hunter was to capturing them or how long another hunter was tailing them. This was one of the reasons why bounty hunting was a difficult business to get into and stay in.

"Is that it?" Guinevere asked very stoically.

Toby nodded as his red hair bounced on his head. "Yeah."

"Fine. See you next time" Guinevere waved and then turned for the door.

"See ya." Toby waved and then fixed his glasses.

Guinevere's coat flowed right and left as she walked towards the door. As soon a she grabbed the handle the building began to shake violently.

"What in Nayru's name is going on?" cried out a man's voice.

The building shook again. Guinevere released the doorknob from her grip and looked around frantically for a logical answer, but found none.

Toby looked at his boss in confusion and she returned his expression as she bit her lip.

The building quaked again as dust from the ceiling fell down into the foyer.

Guinevere swung the door open to see people on the streets screaming and running away frantically.

"Goddesses have mercy on our souls!" cried out a holy man as he ran by Guinevere.

"What?" Guinevere raised an eyebrow as she walked out onto the street. People ran into her and continued to run and stumble away without thinking twice.

Guinevere saw that the ground had a large shadow cast upon it. She looked up and widened her eyes in amazement to see what it was from and all was revealed. She removed her gladius sword from the sheath on her left hip and twirled it in her right hand. "Oh, so that's what."

* * *

**Review it! This chapter was sort of filler/transition, I realize that. I am currently cooking up ideas for my next Zelda story. I could tell you what I've ultimately decided on writing... but that would ruin all the fun. I think you will enjoy it though. I know I've enjoyed coming up with ideas. **


	24. Monstrous Problems

_(A/N: Okay, so I've decided I need to put romance back into this thing because quite frankly, there isn't any at the moment. I don't know how I am going to do this because it is not yet time for Link and Zelda to meet, and I can't justify them thinking about each other every waking moment. Hmmm. Shoot me a message if you have ideas. I'm very open about ideas. I have some, but I'm not certain about them. – Infamous 1/29/13)_

* * *

**Act 24: **_**Monstrous Problems**_

Link slowly rode the horse the outlaws had supplied him with down the old narrow bridge that linked the desert to the lush lands Hyrule. The skies were overcast above him, looming in warning of oncoming showers.

Link (who was now fully equip with all of his previous items) pulled a poorly drawn map out of his green tunic's inside pocket and glanced at it curiously. His blue eyes scanned the lines and swerves on the map's face.

"So it looks like I need to somehow get up to Zora's Domain. The only way to do that is by getting a Zora to swim me up the waterfall and up the river. How would that even work?" Link spoke cynically as he looked down upon Lake Hylia below him.

There was not a whole lot to see in Lake Hylia. It was beautiful and that was it. The royal summer home was over on the east bank. It was a small scale palace made out of stones that had been fished out of the lakebed. The purple roof was made of the finest steel rupees could buy. Zelda VI built the home for her two sons who adored spending time on the lake. Ever since then, it had been used by the royal family as a vacation spot. Of course Gengo disliked going there because he could not swim as well as he use to, so he never brought Zelda to the home. Therefore the palace had sat empty for a number of years. Only the knights that stood watch over it slept within its walls.

Link could see knights standing on guard in front of the small palace's gates. He peered through the telescope Gregor had given him and saw what they were doing. They appeared groggy and bored. Who could blame them though? The royal family never used the palace and no one ever dared to break in. It would be an easy but boring job to just stand there all day and not see any action.

"I should probably stay clear of them." Link furrowed his brow. "I don't know what kind of communication the knights have, especially with these ones, but I better play it safe just in case they know my face."

Link kicked the sides of the horse and it slowly started to trot forward. Link prepared himself in case of an attack.

He remembered what Gregor had told him about radical outlaws controlling the small bridge and what they did to the convoy that carried Link to the desert in the first place.

The hooves of the horse stamped and clicked the old wooden bridge. The horse did not seem bothered in the slightest, whereas Link was sweating through his leather gloves nervously.

He held the reins in his right hand as his left hand gently rested on the hilt of the blade he wore on his back. He tried to recall the basics he had learned while working at the castle and then the techniques he had learned from crazy Gregor. He had never fought on horseback before; then again he had never really fought before. He had sparred a few times before, but in reality, he had no idea if he would be any good at real life or death combat.

The bridge and rock wall shook a bit. Link was only halfway across the bridge when the horse stopped in its tracks and neighed in objection to move forward.

"Whoa girl, what has you spooked?" Link questioned as he gently patted the horse's head.

The horse appeared to be afraid and it seemed to have heard something in the distance. Her ears twitched as if trying to listen harder for noise. Link tried to hone his hearing as well, so he too could pick up on the sound.

The ground shook again and this time Link heard what the horse was hearing. It was a roar in the distance. It sounded like an angered dragon.

"Where is that coming from?" Link swallowed hard, hoping and praying the beast was not nearby. "It's not too close, but not too far either."

The horse stood up on its hind legs and neighed. Link held on tight as he kicked her sides and made her rush down the bridge, hoping to distance himself from the brutal creature, wherever it was.

* * *

The unmistakable stench of blood rose up through the air and Guinevere covered her nose with her left hand as she felt her eyes burn. "Brutal!"

The cries of the beast shook the earth. It towered over the buildings of Castle Town and roared. It stepped forward, crushing everything its path. It appeared to be a black dragon of sorts but it also had serpent-like characteristics. It had a long neck and walked on four legs and had no wings.

"What is that thing!?" screamed a woman as the red eyes of the beast scanned for its next path of destruction.

The man who ran the bookstore hurried people into his shop. "I believe it's a Hydra! I've read about them in several Vidish texts. They are native to Vidla's swamplands!"

"So what is it doing here?" the woman cried.

Guinevere narrowed her eyes at the man's response and groaned. "This is the last thing I need today. I gotta get moving! But I can't just let this thing destroy the castle and the surrounding area, or I'll have no place to pick up my rewards."

The bookstore owner shouted at Guinevere. "Hey, you get in here too! I have a cellar where we can all hide!"

"No." Guinevere replied.

"What did you say, girl? Do you have a death wish or something?" the man gasped as the Hydra let out another roar.

Guinevere turned her head just enough to see the bookshop owner in her peripheral vision. "If I don't do something, you will all have a death wish."

"Suit yourself!" the man called as he slammed the door.

Toby ran out of the bounty hunter building and called for his boss to come inside. Guinevere shook her head 'no'.

"Toby, I may need your help today." Guinevere sighed.

The earth quaked again as the Hydra knocked down a dozen buildings with its tail.

Toby looked up to see the beast roar again. He trembled in fear as he dropped his clipboard to the ground. "What is that thing!?"

"A Vidish Hydra. Now come on!" Guinevere waved as she ran towards the town square. "I need you Toby."

"Why now?" Toby whined as he followed Guinevere sheepishly. "Why do I feel like this isn't the first time you've seen one of these things?"

"I saw one in Vidla while I was playing bodyguard for the emperor's hunting trip four summers ago." Guinevere explained. "That was that time when the royal guard spent a lot of money cracking down on crime, so work was tough to come by. I ended up getting paid better by the Emperor of Vidla than I ever did by the King of Hyrule!"

"Oh yeah that's right, you use to work for the royals! I forgot." Toby called after her.

"I try to forget too." Guinevere moaned as she stopped running and stood in front of the fountain in the town square. She looked up at the creature that was biting the roofs off of building and then eating them whole.

The juxtaposition between the beast and the castle was amazing. The castle still towered over everything, even though its size was being challenged. They said the castle was a symbol of the Hylian spirit, and this scene only proved that to all who saw it.

The knights rallied nervously in the town square as well. They raised their shields in front of their faces in fear as their knees quivered beneath them.

"I don't suppose any of you fine gentlemen will be slaying that monster today?" Guinevere called sarcastically to the band of cowering guards.

They all looked back at her in fear and saw that she had none.

"Lady Gwyn!" they gasped. "You've returned!"

Guinevere frowned as she approached the knights professionally and stoically, her gladius sword still grasped tightly in her right hand. She too could carry herself like a queen, a warrior queen.

"Well I have to return every now and again boys. A girl has gotta eat ya know." Guinevere sighed and then pointed to the rampaging Hydra. "Please don't tell me you are attacking that thing."

"Okay then... we won't." One of the knights smiled.

"I'm surrounded by idiot!" Guinevere sighed and then stormed off towards the monster. "C'mon Toby!"

"Ar-are you sure?" Toby stuttered as the beast let out another cry.

"If I could do it by myself, I would." Guinevere divulged. "Now come on!"

The knights watched as the bounty hunter and her apprentice vanished into the alleyway that would lead them to the feet of the Hydra.

"There goes one brave but stupid, daughter of a bitch and her pack mule." Mumbled one of the knights.

The Hydra lowered its head down into the streets below. It then whipped its head up quickly, chucking a small man skyward, opening its jaws wide and then catching him inside of its mouth. It swallowed and its neck bulged a bit, showing that it had indeed ingested a person.

"Oh goddesses have mercy!" cried out the knights in horror at the sight. "It just ate that man alive!"

Guinevere and Toby reached the Hydra's foot only to see it eating more people. The stench of blood only increased.

"Oh, what is that smell?" Toby cried as he covered his nose and mouth with his hands.

Guinevere spun her gladius in her hand and frowned slightly. "That's the smell of a Hydra!"

As soon as the Hero of Twilight's descendant said this, the Hydra let out a loud scream of pain. The knights had gotten on a rooftop and had jumped off and slashed the beast's neck.

"No, you fools!" Guinevere shouted in anger. "Do you not realize what you are doing?"

Before they heard her words another knight jumped off and gave a finishing blow to the neck, severing the head from the neck.

The knight landed hard on the ground as the decapitated head of the Hydra hit the ground with a thud along with the rest of its lifeless body.

"Way to be, Victor!" cheered the knight's comrades.

Toby clapped and smiled at Guinevere. "Looks like you weren't needed after all, huh? I don't think you give these guys enough credit."

Guinevere's frown only intensified as her dark, green eyes focused on the body of the Hydra. "Toby... get a torch."

"What?" Toby gave his boss a confused look.

"Just do as I say." Guinevere ordered. "And while you're at it, make sure everyone is away from here."

Toby gave the woman a strange look. "B-b-but the monster is dead. There's no need to-

"Do it, Toby!" Guinevere hissed.

Toby stood up straight and fixed his glasses. "O-okay ma'am!"

And with that he ran off to who knows where. Guinevere's eyes remained dead set on the monster's body. She appeared to be trying to recall something about Hydras.

The knights and bystanders looked at the bounty hunter in wonder. One of the knights then spoke up. "What's the matter, Gwyn? Upset that we beat you to the punch?"

Guinevere bit her lip and then spoke. "Have you ever heard the old Hylian saying of 'for every one head you cut off, two grow back'?"

Some of the people nodded.

Very calmly but seriously, Guinevere continued. "Do you know where that comes from?"

Some people shook their heads 'no'.

The Hydra's body began to move a bit, but no one seemed to notice but Guinevere.

"No?" Guinevere's eyes widened at the responses. "Well, you're about to see!"

The bystanders and knights looked back to the beast's body to see the stump of the neck rising up. There was movement on the neck's stump and two bulges began to emerge. They then extended into necks of their own. Lastly, two new heads formed on the ends of the necks.

Guinevere raised her sword. "That's where it comes from!"

The Hydra screamed its mighty roar. Its acid venom spewed out of its mouth like rain and onto the old streets. The venom saliva burnt holes in some of the old cement on the street.

The knights and bystanders gasped and then screamed in fear.

"Where's Toby!?" Guinevere darted her brown eyes around, searching the frantic crowd for her ginger apprentice. "How long does it take to get a torch!?"

The Hydra cried out again and then lowered his two heads to Guinevere. She could see her reflection in the crimson red eyes of the monster. It was as if it was taunting her with her own bloody death.

The smell of blood burned the young hunter's eyes as she tried to show no fear towards the creature. Without Toby she would need to think of some other plan until he showed his face.

_I need to get this thing away from here. I'm at too much of a disadvantage in an enclosed space like this. There are too many liabilities around here too. _Guinevere's breathing accelerated as the creature's snakelike tongues shot in and out of its mouths quickly. _If I turn my back it will snare my legs with its tongues and eat me. If I stand here long enough, it will eat me. Where in the name of Farore is Toby!?_

The Hydra opened the jaws of its right head, expecting to be able to feast on the young woman in front of it. The knights and bystanders by this time and fled the area.

_What would great, great grandpa do at a time like this? I know that's foolish thinking since I never met him, but I need something to go by!_ Guinevere gripped her gladius tightly and then shot her eyes over to the left head of the Hydra which watching her intently.

The Hydra got ready to snap its jaws around Guinevere but as soon as it got close enough she twirled her sword in her hand and thrust the sword upward into the roof of the monster's mouth. The beast cried in pain. The other head flew at Guinevere but she then quickly removed the sword from the Hydra's other mouth, jumped onto the attacking head's neck.

She slid a bit as she tried to hang onto the frantic beast's neck. It whipped her around a bit, trying to throw her off.

"Whoa!" screamed the people on the ground that had distances themselves from the site. They all looked like ants from where Guinevere was.

"TOBY!" the bounty hunter shouted. "TOBY WHERE ARE YOU!?"

Guinevere drove her gladius into the monster's neck and held its hilt like a safety handle. She was not letting go no matter what, as the drop would kill her.

The other head regained its wits and roared in rage. The Hydra flung its head at the neck that Guinevere was and bit down just in front of where her hands were place.

"Whoa now!" Guinevere raised her eyebrows in shock as the other head screamed out in pain.

She removed her gladius from the neck and green blood came spewing out.

She slid down the neck and onto the monster's back. From there she dropped to the ground and rolled on her shoulder. She rolled into a small alleyway, away from the sight of the Hydra.

"Guinevere!" called a familiar voice.

"Toby?" Guinevere raised her head and wiped sweat from her brow. "Where have you been!?"

The young ginger boy held a torch in his hand and looked down at his boss who was now rising up from her knees.

"I was scared." Toby blushed embarrassed.

"Well if you were scared then, you're going to wet your pants when I tell you what you have to do with that torch."

"Ah?" Toby swallowed hard.

* * *

A vicious roar rumbled the roads of Hyrule field. Zelda and Ophelia, her lady in waiting, sat nervously in the royal carriage.

Zelda couldn't help but worry about what the sound was and where it was coming from. She opened the small widow in the carriage door to speak with the knights.

"Do you know what that sound is?" Zelda inquired.

The knights on the right side of the carriage looked at the young queen in surprise. The one gave her an answer though. "Your majesty must not expose herself so easily."

"What?" Zelda raised an eyebrow.

Ophelia put a hand on the queen's shoulder. "He means close the widow. You are at risk."

Zelda looked out upon the fields, remembering exactly where she was. It was nothing but messy miles of mud. The lush green fields had been overwatered and in turn, were nothing but mucky wastelands. This was not the Hyrule Zelda had read about and it was not the Hyrule Zelda could see from the highest tower in her castle. Her lands of happy fantasy became nothing more than the grounds of grim reality.

Zelda shooed her lady in waiting away from her. "I will be at risk as long as I don't know what is going on out there."

The young queen frowned at her knights. Without saying a word, they knew that she wanted to stop the carriage.

"Halt!" called the knight that had spoken to her before. "Her majesty wishes for us to stop."

The wheels of the carriage slowed down and eventually quit moving. The horses grew restless as the knights dismounted them and gathered around the carriage, drawing their swords and building a protective wall around the carriage.

One of the knights opened the door and peered in at the queen and her lady in waiting. "What is it, your majesty?"

"I wish to know what that sound is!" Zelda snapped.

"What sound?" the knight smiled.

The roar in the distance echoed through the field once more.

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "That sound."

"Oh." The knight scratched his head nervously.

Zelda crossed her arms impatiently. "Where is it coming from?"

Ophelia began to fix the queen's hair and whispered. "Sounds like its coming from the castle. It's in that general direction anyway, don't you agree?"

The knights outside of the carriage stood a little taller as they thought about the idea of a beast attacking the castle. Zelda saw this and acted upon it.

"What do you suppose it is, Commander Ogden?" Zelda looked out to see one of the knights awkwardly crack his neck as if he misheard the queen. "Commander Ogden?"

"A-a-a... um... a dragon, perhaps." He cleared his throat and did not dare look the way of the queen.

Zelda widened her eyes and fear and shock. "A dragon?"

"Y-yes. That's what it sounds like to me anyway." The commander stuttered.

The young queen looked down at her hands helplessly. She wanted to go back, but she knew she had to go forward. If she demanded to go back she knew the answer would be no. It would be foolish anyway, as it would be too dangerous if there was indeed a monster in Castle Town.

"Is that all, your majesty?" the knight that opened the door quizzed.

"Yes, that is all." Zelda waved. "Go back to the way you were."

"We are about two hours from Kakariko your majesty, if that helps." The knight nodded. "Please bear with us, as the roads are quite muddy and difficult to get the horses to traverse."

"I understand." Zelda nodded back as she saw the mud on the knight's boots. "Carry on."

And with that the door closed and Zelda sat back in her seat with her lady in waiting by her side. They were Kakariko bound but Zelda racked her brain about what was going on in Castle Town. She was terribly worried about there being any sort of real trouble... which there was.

* * *

"Whoooooooooooa Nelly!" Toby shouted as the Hydra tried to snap him up with its teeth. "Guinevere, hurry it up!"

"Now you know how I felt!" Guinevere called from the other side of the courtyard. She was battling with the other head of the Hydra. She held the hilt and the steel of the gladius with both hands and used the blade as a wedge between the beast's jaws.

The Hydra hissed and snarled as its shining white fangs bit down on the metal of the blade. Guinevere battled, trying to hold her ground against the monster.

She let up her pushing force and backed up a bit. She then slashed the Hydra's nose, giving her time to run to Toby's aid.

She raised her blade above her head, jumped into the air and swung downward at the Hydra's neck, severing it. "Now! Burn it!"

Toby ran up the green bleeding neck stump the tilted the torch onto it, burning the open wound, causing it to wither into a black burn.

The other head of the Hydra cried out and then flew at Toby. Guinevere then decapitated this head as well.

"Burn it!" she called.

Toby obeyed and then burned this neck stump as well, causing it to wither up like the other. The smell the burns created would have killed the nose of any average person. It was a mix between rotting flesh, burning hair and wet dog.

"Is it over?" Toby whimpered as he dropped the torch to the ground.

Guinevere splashed the green blood from her blade and slid it back into her sheath as she watched the Hydra's lifeless body tremble and lose balance.

Toby began to celebrate the victory. Guinevere couldn't help but grin as well. She looked up to see the body of the beast getting ready to tip.

Toby ran over to the far side of the Hydra's body and began to dance happily. The body swayed to the right and began to fall.

Guinevere widened her eyes. "Toby, you fool, run! Get out of there!"

It was too late though the young ginger boy looked up to see the hundred ton body of the monster falling towards him. He was crushed by the very beast he had helped destroy.

Guinevere looked down at her boots as soon as she heard the body hit the ground. She winced a little bit at the knowledge that she had lost yet another apprentice.

She shrugged and then sighed. "I suppose I'll have to get another one."

Guinevere spoke of her apprentice as if he were an easily disposable tissue of sorts. Yes, Guinevere was a strange individual indeed, for she cared not that Toby was dead.

She kneeled down and produced an empty bottle from her trench coat. From one of the decapitated head's fangs she collected a bottle of poisonous venom. It too reeked with the smell of blood and death. It was navy blue venom that burned green like the monster's blood.

Guinevere put the cork in the mouth of the bottle and exited the alley to see dozens of people surrounding her in wonder.

"Is it dead? For good this time?" one of the knights stuttered.

Guinevere merely nodded and walked through the crowd sullenly.

"Guinevere saved us! She's a hero!" they cheered and clapped.

"She did it all by herself too! How awesome is that?" another called out in glee.

Guinevere rolled her eyes and then ran her hand down her face. "Oh goddesses, spare me. Not again."

The crowd of people gathered around her and stopped her from leaving. They began to sing 'for she's a jolly good fellow' and they carried her off to a pub to celebrate, and it was not even noon.

* * *

"Dammit!" Mihari roared inside of his private yellow chamber. He looked through a strange crystal ball and watched as the people of Castle Town celebrated. "Guinevere, another thorn in my side. I thought she was as good as dead when the king kicked her family out for _stealing_."

The magician crackled his knuckles and groaned in annoyance. "Too many discrepancies! I don't know how much my heart can take! Oh wait... I don't have a heart, do I?"

Mihari bit his lip thoughtfully. "Well at least I can stir the political pot a little bit. '_What was a __**Vidish **__Hydra doing in Hyrule?_' Oh yes, I quite like that. I can come up with a whole thing about the Vidish wanting to invade and destroy us all. I will mention it after lunch I think. After I search for whatever was in that brat's safe!"

And so, the agendas of a young hero, a young queen, a bounty hunter and an evil magician began to tick into their places. Some plans would move faster, but all the same, they would move in some sort of direction.

* * *

**Review it! What did you think of the fight? I'll make sure there are more battles like this. I was not terribly keen at all about having Guinevere have the first "boss fight". It wasn't even in the cards originally, but I figured it would be good for character building and to show that Guinevere is a bit of an 'antihero' and that she does heroic things without necessarily holding heroic morals. I also needed to give Mihari/Ghirahim something to do while Zelda was off on her travels, because I know you love the dark magician himself.**


	25. Arrival

_(A/N: Chapter/Act 25! Can you believe this $#*%? Thank you to all of those who have been reading this story. You've kept me going through it all! Here's to another 25! Wait... did I just type "another 25"? If I do another 25, you better buckle up. –Infamous 2/1/13)_

* * *

**Act 25: **_**Arrival **_

Link looked down from the side of the Great Bridge of Hylia to see that there was no way down except by the road that had been closed off for some reason or another.

There were little houses and cottages on the other side of the bridge. It was not big enough to be a village, it was more so a small hamlet that had no official title. It was nothing more than a handful of people wishing to live away from the noise of Castle Town and had the money and means to do so.

The people, who lived in the 'Hylia Hamlet' as it was called, were generally isolated from the happenings in the world, but they were not totally ignorant. It was a popular spot where travelers could hang their hats for the evening as there was a small inn in the settlement. So people often heard little rumours and bits of news from travelers.

The Hylia Hamlet was also popular with traveling knights, of course. Link did not know this for certain but he suspected it to be true, which it was. So Link was weary of just waltzing into the little settlement.

"Okay, so what am I going to do?" Link rubbed his chin. He glanced back over the side of the stone bridge and swallowed hard. He got vertigo just by looking at how far down the lake was. "That's a dead man's drop. There's no way I'd survive that. Even if the water broke my fall, it would break other things too."

He pondered his options a moment longer. The road to the lake was closed off, the settlement that he would have to go through to reach the bridge was a danger zone, and jumping off the bridge was suicide. The horse snorted a bit and began to play with its hooves as Link sat and contemplated his choices.

"Well, either way I'm damned." Link sighed. He them removed his hat and placed it into a pocket inside his tunic. He then messed up his hair a bit and tried not to look too much like himself. "There's nothing wrong with prolonging damnation though."

He kicked the sides of the horse and it began to trot across the bridge and towards the small hamlet on the other side.

* * *

Guinevere fixed her hair by removing her hat and running her fingers through her long, brown, loose curls. She shook her head a bit, trying to shake the strange sparkles and glitter they had thrown on her in celebration in the pub.

The Hero of Twilight's relative looked to the skies to see that it was mid-afternoon. She sighed in annoyance as she picked a piece of glitter off of her cheek. "Well now I'm behind. This is why I hate Castle Town. Everything is overdone, especially monster attacks. People need to learn how to take care of themselves because they are taking away from my schedule."

The streets were no busy at all, which was strange for this hour in Castle Town. The weather was quite nice and was a break from the constant rain. Well, if I monster attacked your town I suppose you'd be weary of going outside as well.

She adjusted the small golden hoop earrings that were clipped with care into her pointed ears. She made an annoyed face, as if the hoops agitated her for one reason or another. "I still need to get to the bank too."

_I also need a new apprentice to watch the bounty boards for me. I can pick up some sorry sucker of a school kid before I leave town I suppose. They just about work for peanuts and most kids around here seem to think of me as a bloody immortal. So it will be easy pickings. _She looked over to see the knights trying to figure out what to do with the dead body of the Hydra. She merely scoffed as her spurs chimed with each step she took.

Guinevere walked solemnly in the opposite direction and sighed. She was indeed on her way to the bank, but any Tom, Dick or Harry watching her at that moment could have told you that she appeared to be wanting to leave Castle Town as fast as possible, which she did.

* * *

Zelda sat and stared at her nails nervously. She felt every bump in the road whilst sitting in the carriage. Ophelia would sometimes try to make light conversation and try to get the young queen to laugh, but she was usually unsuccessful in coaxing a peep out of the queen.

_What am I going to say!? And what is going on in Castle Town!? I haven't heard any more monstrous cries, so that must be a good thing. _Zelda bit her lip as she stared at her hands in her lap. Ophelia was going on and on about how her brother took an arrow to the knee while hunting in the Faron Woods. Zelda was ignoring her, obviously.

"And that's when we decided it was safer to stay in Castle Town! I know your majesty disapproves of blood sports, but the story really is interesting." Ophelia finished, speaking frankly and intelligently. "So of course, this is my first time out of town in many years. But you, your majesty, you've never been away from the castle, have you?"

"Hm?" Zelda raised her head after being lost in thoughts of what she was going to do once she reached Kakariko.

"You've never been out of the castle, right?"

Zelda shook her head, trying to shake off her trance. "Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right."

"So this must be very exciting for someone like you, huh?"

"Someone like me..." Zelda frowned slightly. For the first time in a long time, she thought about her dreams to be normal. Dreams she used to yearn for when she was a princess.

Ophelia's eyes were sympathetic. She realized what she had just said and wished to take it back, but there was no way she could. "Your majesty, I-

Zelda raised her hand in objection. "No need to comment further. I understand what you are saying."

The lady-in-waiting scrunched her nose a bit, trying to think of a way to change the subject. "So, um... that Gordo guy, eh?"

Zelda sighed. It was another attempted by another one of her ladies in waiting to get information on her nonexistent love life. It was as if they had nothing interesting of the sort in their own lives, so they followed the queen's instead. "What about him?"

"Well, he's a real looker is all."

Zelda pouted a bit and then rolled her eyes. "If you are so infatuated by him, why don't you pursue him, Ophelia?"

Ophelia sat up straight in shock. The queen usually never spoke so aggressively towards her underlings. It really was the only way to drum the idea home though. Zelda was tired of people wondering about her and some guy, and she needed to make it clear that she had no romantic interest in Gordo or any of the generic suitors who came knocking at her door. Of course, she had a little crush on her kitchen boy, Link, but to her knowledge, he was long gone.

"Pardon me; I'm just a little... tense." Zelda cleared her throat and tried to regain her composure.

"Of course your majesty, I understand." Ophelia bobbed her head.

On the course to Kakariko the carriage got stuck twice, stalled four times and fishtailed too many times to count. The mud made the journey like a slip-and-slide adventure. It would make anyone nauseated.

But eventually the carriage drew to a perfect stop. Ophelia gave the queen a knowing look and in return, Zelda nodded. They were Kakariko. At any given moment, Zelda would step out into the devastated village and see the world for what it truly was.

* * *

Link tried to avoid eye contact with anyone who passed him by. The day was somewhat nice as it was not yet raining. Therefore the people of the hamlet were busily wandering about, trying to get things set up for the next bout of storms. For the most part, they ignored Link completed and remained lost in their own little worlds.

The hamlet was quite quaint There were only about six homes in all, plus the inn. The homes were small log structures and had thatched roofs. They were a few dozen feet back from the stone bridge, in the cover of night they would almost be invisible.

Link watched as men and women hustled around the grounds, still oblivious to his presence. He heard them murmur things about the Zoras using the bridge to transport their king and that was why no one was allowed to use it. They did not seem pleased about it, which was understandable as the Hylia Hamlet relied on fishing from the lake to eat.

The young hero eventually mustered up the courage and decided to risk it to ask a few questions of one of the settlers. He raised his hand, trying to wave down a young woman with strange, navy blue hair. "Excuse me. I was wondering..."

The girl stopped and placed a basket full of clothing on the ground and then put her hands on her hips in exhaustion. "Yes?"

"Well, I didn't mean to bother you but, um, I was just wondering if there would be anyway for me to use the bridge." Link cleared his throat, trying to hide his eyes from the girl's view.

The girl wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and then heaved a sigh. She left her clothes basket on the ground and approached Link and his horse. She stood next to him and looked at him in suspicious curiosity. "And just what kinda business do you got down on the lake, mister? Gonna go and fish it out on us?"

Link furrowed his brow, unsure of what she was asking. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know your type. You're gonna go down there and overfish and then there ain't nothing left for the rest of us." The girl huffed and growled as she leaned closer to Link, showing the dark bags under her eyes from sleepless nights. "Now get outta here."

Link gave the girl a screwed up expression. "I don't know how to fish."

The girl scowled and then turned to leave Link's side and return to her laundry. "Get lost!"

"But I just want to use to bridge!" Link whimpered like a scared puppy.

The girl stopped walking and chuckled. "I've seen your picture on some watchmen posters. I don't know who you are or what your deal is, but I'm giving you a chance to get out of here, so take it."

Link swallowed hard. The knights had been communicating fairly well it seemed. "I still need to get down there."

"Why don't you go to the desert and dance with the sand monkeys out there, hm? Save yourself from the chopping block."

"Sand monkeys..." Link flinched at the derogatory term before raising his voice. "Now listen here, lady! I have things to do!"

"Like what? Getting killed?" the girl chuckled. "Fine, then climb the gate that leads to the road. Don't blame me if you run into some nasty knights on your way down. I tried to stop ya."

Link looked around to see that no one was outside but them. Everyone had gone indoors, probably to keep out of the impending rain shower.

"Zoras should be on their way up soon. So if you don't mind, I have to make myself a ghost." The girl nodded and then picked up her clothes basket and was on her way.

Link watched the girl go and then nodded. "Thank you!"

She raised her middle finger without looking back.

"Country types." Link laughed a bit at his run-in as he forced the horse towards the closed off bridge.

* * *

Ophelia fixed Zelda's hair one last time, trying to make sure the braids at the front held together tightly. She then put a few loose, wayward strands into place. Ophelia's alabaster skin almost glowed as she focused on the queen's hairdo. Zelda tried not to make eye contact with her.

"Okay, I think you're good." Ophelia gave her mistress a lopsided grin. "Your hair is down today so be careful with the wind as it will get unruly and messed up."

Zelda sighed, like every woman in the history of the world of course Zelda knew that her hair would get screwed up if the wind blew through it.

Ophelia tapped her knuckles against the wall of the carriage, signaling to the knights outside that they were ready.

A man's voice boomed from outside the carriage door as Zelda got into position to exit. "Her Majesty Zelda the Seventh, Queen of Hyrule!"

Zelda hated when they added 'the seventh' to her title. For some reason it made her feel old, when she was not that old at all.

The door opened the dreary light from the outside world poured inside of the carriage. Zelda heard herself mumble, "Here we go..."

She stepped out onto a long purple carpet to see dozens of people down on their knees bowing. Zelda was a little embarrassed and taken aback by the sheer number of people down on one knee. Everyone from children to gorons were present at her arrival.

She looked around, over the bowed heads of her people to see the destruction she would have to address. The air was thick with dust. Zelda's eyes even watered from particles getting into her eyes.

Almost every house on the main strip of the village had been leveled and not cleaned up. The only buildings that were really left standing were a bomb shop, a small inn and a sanctuary near what appeared to be a large pond.

"Um... thank you for having me on such short notice." Zelda nodded, trying to think of more things to say.

A short man with brown eyes, white hair and dark skin approached and then bowed a bit. "You majesty, it is an honour to have you with us today. It has been too long since we last entertained royalty."

"This is Mayor Kingsley of Kakariko, your majesty." One of the knights introduced.

"Oh yes, he was at my coronation dinner. I apologize for my visitation having to be at such a tough time. But I felt it was best." Zelda extended her hand and the little old man kissed it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, officially Mr. Kingsley."

"No, no, the pleasure is all mine your majesty." Kingsley smiled and nodded. "Thank you for coming to our village. The people would like you to know that we are incredibly pleased to know that the queen has taken an interest in us and has come all this way just to meet with us."

"Here here!" cheered the people who remained in their bowing positions.

Zelda looked around in astonishment at her supporters. "Well, I really wanted you to know that I am here with you and I wished to see this for myself. Hyrule is a family unit, and like a family, we suffer together."

"Would you like to do your walkabout, your majesty?" one of the knights whispered in the young queen's ear.

Zelda considered this for a moment. She had a list of things she wished to do while in Kakariko, and the walkabout was one of them, mainly because it was royal protocol and it was expected that she did this.

"Okay." Zelda nodded.

"Fantastic!" Kingsley blurted. This would mean he would get to show the young queen around his village and show her the ways of their community, well, what was left of it anyway. This of course was what any mayor would want as it would only boost his ego to get to rub elbows with royalty and gloat about his accomplishments. "Please, come with me!"

Zelda put on a pretty smile as she followed the mayor down the purple carpet and into the destruction zone that used to be Kakariko Village. She nodded to each person in a slow approving queenly manner as they remained in their bowing positions.

Though sometimes Zelda did not feel like a queen, sometimes she woke in the day and felt like nothing more than a girl who had been a victim of circumstance. Being royal was about acting, not about liking your job. That is what Zelda took from her father and as such, she acted like a queen, especially when she entered the devastated village. The people of Kakariko needed a strong leader, not a little girl who would cry at the sight of the damage. Zelda was bent on delivering that exact act to the people, even if the destruction broke her heart. Many things had broken Zelda's heart, so she had become good at wearing the queen mask.

* * *

The royal throne room was a massive marble hall that had witnessed many events; everything from coronations, to weddings, to treaty proposals, to battles against evil. If walls could talk, the throne room could probably write several books. Of course, the room had to almost be completely rebuilt after the Hero of Twilight fought Ganondorf within its walls. Zelda VI herself oversaw the process while she was still _Princess_ Zelda.

There was a long purple carpet that lead from the doorway to the centre throne. The centre throne was solid gold and had regal red cushions. It was surrounded by four secondary, silver thrones, two on either side. Zelda VI would have sat in the middle, King Erik would have sat to her left and Prince Laertes would have sat on her right. Prince Perceval would have sat on her far left, next to Erik. The royal dog or cat usually sat on Zelda's far right, next to Laertes. Perceval was actually supposed to sit next to Laertes, but they would often bicker and fight during a royal audience so Zelda was forced to split them up to avoid embarrassment.

There were stained glass windows that lined the hall's walls. They were painted with mosaic colouring and depicted things from the creation of Hyrule to the Hero of Time. Each window told a story and all were beautiful and all were carefully handcrafted. When Laertes became king, he replaced one of the windows with one that told the story of the Twilight Era.

Above the thrones there were three golden triangles. Though it was not the real Triforce but a reproduction piece of art, it still looked very real. There were statues of the three Gold Goddesses hugging the golden triangles lovingly. It was an idea Zelda VI had gotten from the old throne room and revamped in the newer model.

But something was out of place in the royal throne room; perhaps not s_omething_, but _someone_.

Mihari the magician sat in the monarch's throne with his feet up in a relaxed position, while everyone else in the castle was down assessing the damage done by the Hydra. Mihari was sharpening a knife with a piece of stone and whistling a happy yet eerie tune. He was in a trance as the knife made the unmistakable slicing sound as he ran the steel against the small stone in his other hand.

Eventually the lone magician began to sing. _"Someday this throne will belong to me. I will finally fulfill my destiny. The hero is gone and the queen will be mine. All I must do is wait in good time."_

He stopped his singing and humming and whistling and all other merrymaking at once. He began to whisper to himself as he sat up right in the throne. "So this is what it will be like to rule this dump?"

He looked at the stained glass windows and chuckled. "Not a damn thing about Hylia, good. She's lost in time."

He stood up and then quickly whipped the sharpened knife at one of the stone pillars that lined the hall. It stuck itself in the rock like a dart on a dartboard. "Perhaps if they knew their history a little better, these people could save themselves."

"Those are the breaks of not writing things down though." Mihari chuckled manically and then flipped his white hair. "Now, all I have to do is find whatever little Zelda was hiding from me this whole time. Perhaps I should do that now."

He looked over at the stained glass window that portrayed the Hero of Twilight battling Ganondorf and narrowed his eyes. He appeared to be sickened and annoyed by the piece. He threw the rock up and caught it in his right hand a number of times before licking his lips and heaving it at the window.

The window shattered and the painted glass exploded into the air as Mihari snapped his fingers and disappeared into a wall of diamonds once more.

* * *

**Review it!**


	26. Breaking the Rules

_(A/N: To avoid any confusion I will tell you straight up what is going on with the bridges/roads. Pretty much what I have done is created roads where there originally weren't any in the game. Therefore there is now a way to walk down to Lake Hylia and a way to walk to the desert. So if anyone was confused, hopefully I cleared that up for you. –Infamous 2/4/13)_

* * *

**Act 26: **_**Breaking the Rules**_

Zelda had walked through the rubble and debris of Kakariko alongside Mayor Kingsley. Occasionally the mayor would try to make some quick remark and make the queen laugh, but she didn't.

"Now is not the time for joking." She would scold, causing Kingsley to button his lip.

The destruction was heartbreaking. Everywhere Zelda looked there were old bricks, stones, pieces of glass and broken boards piled up. Not only was it just rubbish from collapsed houses, but there were also material objects from homes scattered about. Pieces of clothing; everything from fancy dresses to socks, underwear to suits, they blew lifelessly in the gentle, haunting breeze that whistled through the village. There were mattresses lying in the middle of the street, smashed up chairs and tables piled up for firewood, and old books had their pages blowing open to reveal their information.

Zelda tried to keep a stoic face as the mayor guided her around, along with her lady-in-waiting and a few knights for security. The villagers stood back near the royal carriage, watching and waiting as the small group traversed the wreckage.

At some point during her walkabout, Zelda looked down to see a child's brown boot sticking out from under a pile of rubble. Kingsley saw the queen staring at the wreckage and immediately spoke up. "This was the orphanage that your mother founded."

Zelda stopped walking as soon as she realized the boot was attached to a foot. She was mortified as she grasped the idea that it was the body of a child buried underneath the building's remains. She thought she was going to start crying, but she knew she had to hold it together. She put on a strong front and stuttered as she asked the mayor a question. "D-did anyone survive this?"

Mayor Kingsley widened his eyes at the royal's inquiry. He saw that the young woman's heart was breaking and he knew that the real answer would have slayed the young queen. But before the queen arrived he promised her scouting advisor that he would not withhold the truth. "Only a handful of them made it out, your majesty."

Zelda looked down at her feet and tried to gain her composure after feeling immense pressure behind her eyes. "I see."

"Shall we move on, your majesty?" One of Zelda's knights asked, seeing the queen was about to fall to pieces.

"Um, yes, let us go." Zelda nodded, returning her expression to a sombre and serious one.

Kingsley smiled and clapped his hands together, "To the sanctuary than! I hope your majesty will enjoy the quaint lunch we have put together for her."

Zelda returned the smile warmly as she pulled a loose strand of hair from her face, "I'm sure I will."

Royal charm did not escape Zelda, ever, and that always showed. Royals were good actors who were absolute crowd pleasers. Zelda did everything that was expected of her like clockwork.

* * *

Link patted the horse's snout after dismounting her. "You stay here girl."

He turned his attention to the eight foot tall gate that was closed. There was a sign hanging off of it that read 'ROAD CLOSED. USE DETOUR ROUTE. ALL CAUGHT TRESPASSING WILL BE APPREHENDED'. Link scratched his head trying to think of what the detour route would be. He then wrapped his gloved fingers through the wooden gate to see a shiny, silver padlock snapped tightly around the gate's handles so the gate would not swing open from his side.

"I don't have that kind of time." Link mumbled. "If I'm here, I might as well make use of my time."

Link then nodded to himself and fixed his gaze on the gate as he took a few steps back. He arched his back and then began to sprint at the gate with all his might. He jumped and gripped onto the wooden frame. He hung there for a moment before lifting his legs and pegging them into the holes in the gate. The lock on the other side was banging and making a clicking noise. Link scaled the short distance up the gate and eventually perched himself at the top and swung his legs over on the other side. The gate rattled wildly, like a beast was wishing to break free from it as Link tried to adjust himself.

Link looked back over his left shoulder and took one last look at his steed and then smiled. "See ya later, girl."

The horse let out a loud neigh and stomped its hooves on the ground, as if trying to communicate and tell him not to go.

Our young hero then jumped down onto the wooden bridge and hit the ground running. He started jogging down the steep wooden path and onward to the beautiful, blue abyss that was Lake Hylia.

* * *

Within the Kakariko Sanctuary there was a long rectangular tabled covered in different dishes of food. The table was set for twenty. Zelda sat on the end, Mayor Kingsley sat on her right and her lady-in-waiting, Ophelia, sat on her left (acting as a placeholder for an advisor). The rest of the table's seats were filled by Kingsley's village council.

"Your majesty, it is an absolute joy and an honour to have you here!" Mayor Kingsley stood up and raised his chalice of wine for a toast. "I realize it is only the early hours of the afternoon but hey, it's five o'clock somewhere, right?"

The mayor's council who sat around the table exchanged anxious glances as the mayor filled Zelda's goblet to the brim with wine for her, and then began to cheer as he shot back his glass in one gulp and filled it up again.

Zelda merely chuckled and took a sip as she had heard the Kakariko mayor was enjoying some of the alcohol a little too much at her coronation dinner, and this only proved that story to be true.

The young queen tried to understand the mayor's actions, as crazy times like the ones that had befallen Hyrule would have driven anyone to have a drink or two or three. Zelda was surprised she herself hadn't gotten into her late-father's fully stocked liquor cabinet immediately after her coronation.

"Now your majesty, at your coronation dinner, party, thing, your magician said you can't handle Vidish wine. So, I made sure to only have Hylian wine here today." Kingsley teased as he topped off Zelda's goblet again. "This here is some real nice stuff, real smooth, Zora Chardonnay. It's from my personal collection."

Zelda faked a smile as she took another sip. Zelda was not big on drinking, as she disliked the taste, but she knew her etiquette. She needed to at least act like she liked what was being served to her. "Any alcohol from the Eldin Province?"

"Oh yes!" Kingsley's eyes lit up as he pointed to each of the bottles on the table. "Eldin Merlot, Hot Sherry, Eldin Elbling, Goron Whiskey, Kakariko Champagne, Rebel Rum."

The mayor went on and on, and Zelda merely shook her head, trying to make it look like she was really interested. She knew nothing about drinking and she cared very little about it. But again my dearest reader, this was what being a royal was about.

Finally, after the mayor had nearly finished his spiel about how most of the good booze came from Lanayru, one of his councillors stood up and interrupted. "Um, perhaps her majesty would like to hear more about Kakariko, sir?"

Zelda sat up in her chair as she nibbled on a piece of roasted cucco. "Yes, that would be lovely."

"Well, what do you wanna hear, kiddo?" the mayor burped.

The council gasped at the way the mayor addressed the young queen. Zelda's knights stood up tall, trying to look intimidating. Zelda raised her eyebrows and then started laughing wholeheartedly, realizing the man was slightly tipsy and it was the middle of the day.

The young queen covered her mouth and continued to giggle. "Well, I would like to hear everything, Mr. Kingsley!"

The council heaved a sigh of relief and the knights relaxed their shoulders. The young queen was in good humour and was indeed acting like someone in their late-teens, she was acting her age.

"Why don't you tell her majesty about our search and rescue efforts?" one of the councilmen suggested.

Another councilman added. "I agree. Tell her about how we lacked the supplies and training needed to be successful."

Zelda raised her head a bit and took a mental note. "Is that so?"

"Yes. Your father cut spending on search and rescue training several years ago because Hyrule had not been hit by anything this drastic in decades." The first councilman explained.

Zelda nodded wisely. She had not yet had time to look over the programs that had been cut. Therefore she would need to address this when she got back to the castle. "I will look into it personally when I return home."

"Thank you, your majesty." The council said in unison.

They continued to speak and tell Zelda of the trials and troubles with their village and such. One topic continued to reoccur though, the troubles with criminals and outlaws in Kakariko.

Kakariko produced the highest number of fugitives, and therefore a lot of gangs hid out in the village in underground bases.

"Why are there so many criminals coming out of here? Do you have any theories?" Zelda inquired. By this time the mayor had passed out drunk in his chair next to Zelda and his council was answering for him.

The councilman with black hair stood up and bowed. "In recent years, Kakariko has become a bit of a shanty town compared to others in Hyrule. It fluctuates really. After the defeat of Zant all those years ago, the village was rejuvenated thanks to people holding an interest in the Hero of Twilight and wishing to share his experiences. When Laertes took the throne, the population went down because he was trying to get people to move to the desert. Then there was an interest in history and people began coming back to Kakariko so they could see what the Hero of Twilight saw. Then when your father was a prince, the village really boomed. Then when he became king, it went downhill again."

Zelda squinted her eyes, trying to come up with a response. "So, appears the village does best when people are interested in someone who has been here or something that has happened here."

The councilmen nodded in unison as the knights watched their queen closely.

"Have you ever considered a museum of some sort? I know now is not the time to discuss this, but I can't help but wonder if that would help your case." Zelda rubbed her chin. "You could get things on loan from the royal collection and have them displayed here."

"You majesty, are you sure?" one of the councilman gasped.

"Of course! They aren't doing anything at the castle except collecting dust. No one looks at them and the Castle Town museum is just full of artwork! Besides, you can share if the Castle Town museum gets jealous and decides they want to display some old weapons or something. There is plenty to go around." Zelda assured. "Of course, before that happens, we need to solve the problem with outlaws running around the kingdom. And before I address the issue of that, I need to fix up the troubles here and the ones in Ordon Village."

The councilmen silenced as waiters flocked the room from the basement and collected the plates with scraps on them.

"Now, I am more willing to tap heavily into the treasury to help you fix this town up. When I return to the castle I will set up a fund for destruction zones like the one here and the one in Ordon, and that fund will be tapped into when need be." Zelda folded her hands in front of her face and clarified. "I will pump an amount of rupees into your part of the fund and I will personally return at some point and check your progress and I will decide from there if you still need handouts."

The council seemed to like the young queen's pitch and were willing to give it a try.

"I promise that it will be different from the previous arrangements. I am here assessing the damage myself and I already have an idea of how many zeros I need to write on the first cheque." Zelda nodded. "I will send a scout every week to take some photos and I will review them. In about a month I would like to come back and visit again. Savvy?"

The councilmen smiled and nodded at the young monarch.

"Then once you all get on your feet, I will start cracking down on your crime problems. No, you know what? I will immediately begin working against outlaws! We need to get rid of this plague as it has been going on for far too long. Quite frankly I wish my father would have dealt with it as soon as we started seeing problems with our crime rates." Zelda explained further as she slapped her hand down on the table like a politician. "Part of this is because of our poor economic standing in the last decade and a lot of job loss. I see Kakariko is not full of opportunity and we need to create those opportunities for people because they aren't going to drop from the sky like a goddess send. This is a nationwide problem that I will address very soon. But we need to do things slowly."

Everyone in the room was in awe of the young queen. She was long winded but she knew what she was talking about. Zelda surprised herself a bit because she had no idea what she would say and she merely made up her points out of thin air. But her speech to the people of Kakariko was something was still struggling with. She had not written one, nor had she had anyone prepare one for her. She had no clue what she was going to do but she knew it would have to be damn good to please people who had had such bloody poor luck.

* * *

Link listened as the wooden planks that made up the steep bridge creaked under his boots. He could hear the peaceful motions the water in the lake made and found it incredibly soothing. He could see why the lake was a popular vacation spot for not just the royal family, but for Hylians in general. But something about the lake's waves was not natural. They were soothing, yes, but they were also creepy as if polluted by some sort of dangerous doubt.

He kept an eye on the jaded knights that guarded the summer home on the other side. Every now and again he would look over his shoulder to make sure they were not trying to see who was walking down the bridge.

The bridge itself was a mighty strange structure. Somehow it defied the laws of gravity and physics as it was a simple diagonal drop to an island in the middle of the lake. It had only a few supports that kept it mounted stably in the lake. It was a surprise it was still standing. Many monarchs of the past had meant to address the issue of the dodgy bridge and wanted to build a stone bridge down, but none ever had the rupees on hand for the construction costs. So the wooden bridge remained standing, and goddesses knew why. Of course, it was better than the dangerous method of flying down using cuccos.

When Link was halfway down the bridge he saw a couple of strange looking humanoids that were holding tritons and standing at the bottom. "Zoras..."

"I'm telling you Flynn, I don't think the old king has got it in him. He can't make the trip. He can barely stay out of the water for thirty minutes." One of the Zora's moaned loudly enough for Link to hear.

Link froze in place. He could not see these guards before and he couldn't understand why.

"Well, we just got here, so give him some time." The other Zora reasoned.

Link was left to assume that they had just emerged from the water while he was climbing the gate.

"We're all ready two hours behind schedule." The other Zora complained. "The queen isn't going to be happy about this."

"Oh come on Tirta, it's not like she's her father or anything. Gengo was such a foolish man who had an unreasonable temper. I've heard young Zelda is much calmer."

Link's heart jumped for joy when he heard them mention Zelda; his 'friend' with whom he was still slightly smitten with. His mind returned to that day in the Din locker room and how beautiful the young princess (who was now a queen) looked. He shook his head. _This isn't the time to fawn over someone you'll never see again! It's not like you were going to even act on your feelings anyway. She was a princess; I was a servant, that's how it was. Now she's a queen and I'm a criminal, that's how it is. Get over yourself Link! She's probably being wooed by some of the best looking guys in the country._

"Yeah, but she's just a girl, still a kid. What would she know?" the other Zora laughed.

"More than you think." Link mumbled to himself, defending Zelda's brilliance in his own little way.

"Well King Ralis was just a little guy when he became king."

"Yeah, and he didn't get the hang of it until several years later!"

Link gave them a lopsided grin and raised his eyebrows. He was not sure of what he was going to do. He could turn back, but then what would he do? Look for the detour route? Wait around? Be seen by the Zora guards?

So, the young hero put on a brave face and marched onward again. When the Zoras noticed him they had to do a double take to make sure they weren't seeing things.

"Who are you?" the one Zora quizzed as they both raised their tritons offensively. "State your business!"

Link raised his hands defenceless. "Listen, guys-

"Hands where we can see them! Don't even think about grabbing that sword off your back!" shouted the other Zora.

The thought had crossed Link's mind. If he could turn the two guards into sushi, he would be home free. But then he wondered how skilled the guards actually were and that he would be outnumbered.

"What are you doing on the bridge? It's closed!" hissed the Zora on Link's right.

Link decided he would tell the Zoras the truth, well at least part of it. "I need to go to Snowpeak as soon as possible."

The Zoras narrowed their eyes and did not lower their weapons. "What business you got up there?"

Link sighed. "Why's it matter?"

"You gotta go through Zora's Domain to get to Snowpeak, Chu for brains!" hissed the Zora on Link's left. "That's why it matters! You gotta go through our turf to get there! So what business you got up there?"

Link swallowed hard as he heard the Zoras let out hissing sounds. "I-I..."

"The only one who goes up there anymore is Guinevere the bounty hunter, so unless you have some business with her-

"I work for Guinevere!" Link replied quickly and nervously. "Yup, I'm her new... um... assistant! Yeah that's it! Assistant!"

The Zoras looked at each other sceptically. The Zora on the right commented first. "Strange. Guinevere usually works alone. I've never seen her running around with a helper."

"She's trying something new!" Link lied through his teeth.

The Zoras slowly lowered their weapons but still remained alert. The Zora on the left laughed. "You know, you don't strike me as someone she'd click with."

"But look at him, he's dressed a bit like her." The Zora on the right explained. "So maybe they are a team."

The Zora on the left sighed. "Guinevere doesn't strike me as someone who would want to wearing matching uniforms though. How do we know if this guy is for real?"

"Hmmm..." both Zora guards darted their eyes at each other and back to Link.

Link was thinking about just running away right then and there, but he knew he could never make it, especially in the water where Zoras reigned supreme.

"I got it. What is Gwyn doing up at Snowpeak? We've wanted to know that for months!" the right Zora asked.

"How do we know he's telling the truth though?" the left Zora asked.

"If it sounds legit, it's probably true." The right Zora explained. "So... hero boy, what is Gwyn up to up at Snowpeak?"

Link swallowed hard as he looked to the left as he tried to create a fantasy story. "Um... I don't know!"

"You don't know?" the Zoras gave him a confused look.

"She won't tell me! It's my first time up there. She just said to deliver umm," Link produced Gergor's telescope. "this to a specific place."

The Zoras examined the telescope curiously for a moment.

"Is she stashing junky loot up there?" the right Zora joked.

"Don't know!" Link chuckled nervously as a bead of sweat dropped from his forehead. "Can I go?"

The Zora guards looked at each other and merely shrugged. They didn't see the harm in it.

"Why not? Guinevere is a hero to us all!" the left Zora sighed as he and the other one stepped out of the way.

Link looked at them curiously. "Hero to you all?"

"Goddesses boy, where have you been!? She only saved us from a Skullfish outbreak last summer." The left Zora gasped.

"Well technically she really didn't do anything." The right Zora laughed. "Some of our people just like to say that. She isn't even that great of a person. She's actually quite a witch. She's very callous and self centred. But I'm sure you know that all ready."

Link raised his eyebrows and simply nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she's a bit of a slave driver."

The left Zora gave Link and the other Zora an uneasy look.

The right Zora laughed and pointed at the left Zora. "Bah, this guy is just too Greengill to admit anything! He knows she's a Bomb Fish waiting to explode."

Link nervously looked at the bickering guards and laughed a bit. "Well, I gotta get going. She'll kill me if I'm not back at the stronghold at a certain time! See ya later!"

Link waved and then ran off the island and jumped into the lukewarm water in a hurry. The Zoras looked at each other curiously.

"I didn't think she had a stronghold." The left Zora banged his triton on the island's ground.

The right Zora raised his voice. "She doesn't. No bounty hunter does. It's too dangerous."

They stood on the island for a moment and then realized what was going on. The right Zora shouted out. "We've been conned! Get him!"

The Zora guards jumped into the water as Link struggled to pull himself through the water as his clothing and gear weighed him down. "I'm in trouble! I'm in trouble! I'm in trouble!"

* * *

**Review it! I want your feedback more than I want an original Zelda on the 3DS/Wii U! Okay, maybe not that badly... but I still want your comments! Do it for the children!**


	27. All the Cards

_(A/N: Okay, so I'm back for my second and final semester of high school. That means... slower updates because I have a lot of homework this time around. Honestly, I'll come home, do my homework and then be so drained I won't want to write. PS. My copy of Hyrule Historia has FINALLY ARRIVED! Now I can study up for future fics! – Infamous 2/10/13)_

* * *

**Act 27: **_**All the Cards**_

Link gasped and struggled for air as he flailed his arms around in the lake's warm waters. He was only a mediocre swimmer, and swimming under pressure was not one of his strong points.

The two Zora guards closed in on the young hero under the cover the clouded water. Link had no idea as to where they were. He just kept trying to swim forward towards a wooden raft that was so close, yet seemed so far away.

"It'd be so much easier to just give up!" Link grunted and groaned as he paddled closer and closer to the raft. He reached out his right hand and went to grab the edge of the wood.

"Yes, it would be." A voice laughed from behind him.

Link turned around and in a split second he watched as one of the Zora guards leaped out of the water, into the air and then flew downwards towards him. With a bang and splash the Zora guard forced all of his weight onto Link and pushed him underwater. The other Zora guard grabbed Link's legs and pulled him deeper and deeper.

Water filled Link's lungs as he felt his cap float off of his head and escape to the surface. He looked up to see the daylight glistening through the water as his green hat broke through the liquid barrier. He continued to kick his legs, trying to fight the Zoras. The water burned his throat as he persisted to inhale more of it and panic. _No, I can't die yet! I still have things to do!_

The Zoras proved to be strong as both guards now held Link legs.

Link took one last look up at the surface and felt his eyes beginning to close. Though his body was heavy and beginning to shut down he managed to wrap his left hand around the sword on his back and unsheathe it.

In one mighty swing and as a last ditch effort; Link swung the sword in a downward swiping motion, striking both Zora guards in their arms.

They let go and hissed as their strange purple blood seeped out of their wounds and resonated in the water. Link let go of his sword, letting it sink to the bottom of the lake and began to frantically swim to the surface with the last of his remaining strength.

When he emerged from the depths of Lake Hylia and he bobbed up in the water and pulled himself onto the wooden raft he had tried to reach in the first place. He spit up water as he coughed and heaved like a cat with a hairball. He was on his hands and knees trying to hack up the water in his lungs as his messy blonde hair hung down in his face.

"Oh my goddess!" Link coughed and gasped. "Oh goddesses! Oh jeez! I-I-I-I... they almost had me!"

Once he stopped his coughing he rolled over on his back and spread his limbs out in exhaustion. He looked up at the sky and thought about how close he was to death and that his death was almost brought upon him by some of the 'friendliest' folks in Hyrule. He then began to laugh in disbelief. _Stuff like this __**never**__ happened in the castle._

He heard the Zora guards emerge from the water a few moments later. They silently treaded water as they stared the young hero down.

* * *

The daylight from the outside world trickled into the hall of royal portraits. The hall was filled with the watchful, oil based eyes and serious faces of royals of the past. It was a low traffic area, as the hall often gave visitors the creeps.

Mihari the magician stood underneath one portrait in particular with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face.

"Thank goodness you are both dead. Now I only have one little girl who keeps getting in my way. But she is vital to my plan, so I need to keep her alive." Mihari mumbled and grumbled as he winced at the portrait of a woman sitting stoically in a throne and a young man standing beside her.

"A mama's boy and his mama. Old Zelda's favourite son, Laertes, by her side until the end." Mihari chuckled nostalgically as he fixed his poncho. "Oh, I remember how Perceval bought that like the gullible sucker he was."

Yes, the portrait was of Zelda VI and her eldest son, Prince Laertes. It hung on the wall in a golden frame and took up a lot of space. But it was not unlike other portraits in the hall. They were all quite large. Some said it was a reflection of the royal ego.

Zelda VI, who was queen at the time of the painting's creation, sat with her gloved hands folded gracefully in her lap. She had a gold tiara that had some jewels incrusted in it that fit snuggly on her head. From her ears dangled silver Triforce earrings. The queen was in a violet and white ball gown that had golden threats and lace woven through it and a Hylian crest on the front. She appeared slightly older in the portrait, as it was supposed to have been painted when she was middle aged. All the same, she was still portrayed to be elegant and extremely beautiful. Many people believed the queen used magic to retain a more youthful appearance as she seemed to age very slowly. In the portrait her hair was still the dark blonde colour that she had in her younger days.

Laertes looked incredibly handsome with his wispy, dark blonde locks of hair and grey eyes that appeared to be looking right through the viewer. He was in a military uniform that included a white, long sleeved tunic that had bronze buttons down the front, black pants and white gloves. He had a blue sash that spanned from his left shoulder to his right hip and several shining medals, medallions and badges on the left side of his chest along with a few patches on his arms. He had a sheathed rapier with a golden hilt on his left hip. Laertes' right hand was gently rested on the top of the throne.

Mihari seemed agitated by the painting. Both of the painted beings appeared to be looking down at him in sombre disgust and bottled-up anger. It was as if they wanted to jump out of the canvas and strangle him.

The magician did not let this bother him though. He ran his finger over the golden caption at the bottom of the frame. _"The Order of Succession. Painted by Lady Julia Delisle of the Imperial Vidish Empire. Let this portrait be proof of the friendship between Hyrule and Vidla."_

Mihari chuckled. "Lady Julia Delisle was the Vidish Emperor's official artist, I believe. Some friendship, eh? Crumbled after _mama's boy_ died and his son took the throne. I guess it only proves that it doesn't matter who your ancestors are, it only matters who you are and how you choose to honour their achievements."

The magician narrowed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts. "Now... where did that silly little girl hide the contents of that safe? I know it's around here somewhere because she spent hours loitering about in this corridor and in the gardens and she hardly ever went anywhere else. She will not hide anything from me!"

After standing still for a moment, his mouth curved from a straight line into a toothy smile. He folded his hands like an evil genius as he spun on his heel. Mihari then began to fast walk down the hall and into darkness. He knew exactly where he would need to look.

* * *

"And that is why, ladies and gentlemen, that I will not leave your side until the day I die." Zelda finished her speech to the people of Kakariko.

The villagers clapped and cheered for their young queen. Though they had fallen on bad times, they still held faith in their leader, even though she was often considered a child and her authority had been called into question.

Zelda stepped away from the small podium that had been placed outside of the Kakariko Sanctuary. She sat in a fancy chair behind the podium, surrounded by her security team and others.

Since Mayor Kingsley was sound asleep, one of his councilmen spoke on his behalf. "Your majesty, my fellow councilmen, honourable knights, ladies and gentlemen of Kakariko, distinguished guests. Many years ago a young man rolled into town, that young man was the Hero of Twilight. I will not begin to say what he did for us, because it is a story most of us know."

Zelda grinned. She knew it was a long list of achievements. The hero had been fond of the village and would often visit.

"But all the same, your majesty, on behalf of Kakariko Village and in Mayor Kingsley's stead, I would like to present you with this." The councilman produced a long, narrow, black box that had golden hinges on the one side. He turned to face the young queen and nodded for her to stand.

Zelda stood up, surprised by the gift. She smiled sweetly and spoke softly. "Well, this is quite a surprise. I don't expect anything from you."

"No, please accept this gift." The councilman nodded as he readied himself to open the box. He then winked at the young queen and smiled. "I hear you have quite the shot."

"Huh?" Zelda replied, but everything then made sense as the councilman opened the black box and presented its contents. "A bow?"

"It's not just any bow." The councilman extended his arms a bit further so Zelda could remove it from the box. He bowed on his knee a bit and bowed down his head. "Take a closer look and you'll see."

Zelda grasped her right hand around the bow's grip and then felt as if she knew exactly who the bow belonged to. "This was _his_ bow, wasn't it?"

The councilman merely nodded as he watched the queen remove the bow from the box and inspect it. He then snapped the box shut and smiled. "Why don't you test it out for us? As I said, I hear you have quite the shot."

Zelda was speechless. She didn't know why they were giving the bow to her in the first place. It was considered to be Kakariko's greatest treasure. When the Hero of Twilight died, his family donated many of his things to various towns and people. The bow went to Kakariko, and now it rested in Zelda's hands.

"Why are you giving this to me?" Zelda quizzed. She was beginning to wonder if more people in Hyrule knew of her relation to the hero.

The councilman continued to smile. "Because, like the hero, you too see the best in this village and wish to see it restored. He too helped rebuild our town the first time. Now here you are, wishing the rebuild it for a second time."

Zelda blushed a bit as she looked down at the bow. "You really shouldn't."

"No no, we want you to have this, right?" the councilman called out to the villagers who were watching them.

"YEAH!" they cheered with enthusiasm.

The councilman closed Zelda's hands around the bow's grip and smiled. "Take it."

Zelda swallowed hard as she stared at the wooden weapon. "I... I... thank you." She looked up from her hands, smiled and looked into the councilman's eyes.

The councilman returned her smile. "No need to thank us. Now... show us that killer shot of yours!"

The young queen laughed a bit. "Okay."

* * *

"Who are you, really?" one of the Zora guards quizzed Link from the water.

"Yeah, and now lying this time!" the other guard jeered.

Link sat up on his elbows and cringed at the sight of the two water beings. "My name is Link. I came from the desert."

The Zoras looked at each other with unimpressed expressions as they continued to tread water.

"Okay, _Link of the Desert_, what are you doing down here? Why are you trespassing?" one of the guards questioned.

Link sighed as he sat himself up on his rear and crossed his legs. He knew he would be arrested, so he might as well come clean. "I'm on my way to Snowpeak. I needed to get there as soon as I could."

"Yeah, but why?"

"I was told that I needed to survey the area."

"By who? The Queen of Hyrule?" the one Zora joked. "No... you're from the desert. You're an outlaw, and you were going to loot Guinevere's hideout. Admit it!"

"I thought Guinevere didn't have a hideout..." the guard on Link's left replied.

"Well she must have SOMETHING up there! I mean, for goodness sakes, no one could survive up there for months at a time without some sort of living quarters!" the guard on Link's right argued. "I am damn curious about how she does it! I want to know the secret!"

"How about... I go up there and then I'll tell you about what I find, if I'm still alive." Link suggested. "That way we all get what we want!"

"Okay! We'll even give you a ride up to Zora's Domain!" the left Zora smiled.

The right Zora splashed around a bit. "Are you crazy!? Number one, we have a job to do! Number two this guy is a criminal! Number three, that'd be breaking the 'no humans' rule!"

"But Guinevere breaks the 'no humans' rule all the time." The left Zora whined like a child.

"Because King Ralis gave her permission!"

Link raised his hand. "No humans?"

"Oh, it's because the king is afraid of the disease that humans bring in. He's very health conscious nowadays." The left Zora explained.

Link scratched his wet hair. "But wouldn't he and other Zoras just carry disease on them that they contracted from humans?"

"Oh no! Our skin cannot carry human disease on it."

"So... how do you get sick then?" Link asked.

"Do you _really_ want to know?" the right Zora snapped with sarcasm in his voice. For some reason, this tone made Link not to ever want to know.

"Anyway, I'll happily give you a lift up to the domain!" the left Zora interjected. He grabbed Link's waterlogged hat out of the water and raised it high. "Here's your cap!"

Link's facial expression went from one of confusion to one of contentment. It appeared that the Zoras who had tried to kill him were willing to work with him, aside from one of them being against the idea.

"Tirta, you stay here!" the left Zora smiled. "I'll carry him up!"

"Flynn!" the right Zora barked.

"Oh come on! Even you want to know about Snowpeak!" the left Zora laughed. "This way we don't have to freeze our gills off!"

The right Zora sighed. "Fine. I'll stay here and wait for the king. But if you run into him and the caravan while going up the river, don't blame me!"

"Awesome! Okay, er... Link, let's go!" the left Zora smiled.

Link returned the smile as he stood up on the raft. "Thank you so much! But um... could you get me my sword, please? I dropped it down there."

The right Zora scoffed as he held up his arms. "When you cut us? Thanks for that! You're lucky our skin heals quickly in water."

The left Zora smiled. "You don't need that old thing! I can get you a much better one up in Zora's Domain! I can get you a shield too!"

Link was surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" the left Zora nodded. "Now come on!"

* * *

The sun had set over Hyrule and night had fallen. After meeting with victims of the Kakriko tornado, Zelda and her team retired to the village's inn. Zelda sat at a makeup vanity in her room with her lady-in-waiting.

"That was most excellent, your majesty. One of your best deliveries yet, I'd say!" Ophelia gushed as she fussed over Zelda's hair.

"Uhm, yeah yeah." Zelda replied, lost in thought.

"Oh how do you do it, your majesty? How do you come up with such brilliant things to say and say them in such a captivating way?" Ophelia gasped in awe as she undid one of the young queen's braids.

Zelda chuckled as she rested her left elbow on the table and then rested her chin in her left hand. She looked at herself in the mirror and pouted as she watched Ophelia undoing her hair. "I'm royal, that's how I do it."

Ophelia merely laughed. "Well, that's only the half of it. Your majesty, you are very wise and very well read."

"You can thank my schooling for that. Which reminds me, I need to write my tutors thank you letters when I return home." Zelda scoffed.

"I can't believe you were able to shoot that post at the top of the canyon without missing! It was so far away too!" Ophelia huffed in excitement. "Where did you learn how to shoot like that? You must have eyes like a hawk!"

Zelda giggled a bit. "That was part of my schooling too. Royals learn how to shoot before they learn how to talk."

"Really?" Ophelia questioned as she fluffed Zelda's hair.

"No. I just had a really good teacher." Zelda smiled as she remembered her instructor fondly. "His name was Gregor or something like that. He was very kind and almost like a big brother."

Ophelia stopped fussing over Zelda's hair and looked at the young queen in the mirror. "Did he perhaps fill the void that was there from being an only child?"

"Somewhat." Zelda shrugged. "He was actually a grandson or something of the Hero of Twilight."

"Really!?" Ophelia's eyes widened in disbelief. "No wonder you have such a good shot."

Zelda simply smiled.

"What happened to him?"

Zelda's face was grave. "He was caught stealing from the royal map collection. My father blew it way out of proportion and ended up kicking all of Gregor's family out. They all lost their jobs."

"Stealing from the royal map collection? What could possibly be in there that he would want?" Ophelia's face appeared troubled and confused.

Zelda shook her head. "I don't know. A lot of the maps in there are as old as Hyrule, they'd go for a lot of money if they ended up on the black market."

"You think he would have put it on the market? Someone from the hero's lineage would double cross the crown like that?"

"I don't know." Zelda shook her head sadly.

Ophelia was quiet, as she knew the young queen was troubled by the past. Her father had unfairly fired dozens of people from the only life they had ever known. They would have been devastated. They would have had to pack up and start over elsewhere and learn how to survive outside of the castle walls.

"You know... they say that Guinevere bounty hunter girl is related to the hero as well." Ophelia cleared her throat. "They say she is actually very mean."

"Mean, you say?" Zelda raised an eyebrow cynically.

"Oh yes, your majesty, they say she is the most unmerciful woman in all of Hyrule."

"I recall reading bounty sheets a few weeks ago. She is one of the biggest fish the hunting pond. I wouldn't be surprised if she was quite callus. She's a woman doing what is often classed as a man's job."

"Oh no, you don't understand. I heard a story about her literally killing a man in cold blood and then realizing he was not her fugitive. She didn't even care!" Ophelia said in distress. "There are bad people in this world, your majesty. Some of them are bad people trying to rid the world of bad people. In reality they are simply running in circles, trying to capture themselves."

"It appears that you are quite wise yourself, Ophelia." Zelda stared at her reflection pensively for a moment. She thought about Guinevere and tried to remember her distant cousin's face. Zelda tried to recall a time when she was young child being taught basic royal skills. She then realized that Guinevere helped her learn how to ride a horse.

The young queen's mind reverted to that time as Ophelia began to go on a spiel about how she would never be nearly as wise as Zelda.

* * *

"_And that's called, balance!" a brunette teenage girl explained. "Any more questions, your highness?"_

_Little Zelda, who was only six, nervously looked down at her feet. "What do you do if you... if you..."_

"_If you what?" the girl smiled in a warm, sisterly manner._

"_If you're too scared to get on the horse in the first place!?" Little Zelda blurted out._

_The teenage girl's emerald green eyes widened with understanding as her smile faded into a straight line. She kneeled down beside young Zelda and looked her squarely in the eye. "In your life... you will do scarier things than getting on a horse, your highness, trust me."_

"_But I..." Little Zelda tried._

"_But nothing. You haven't even tried to get on your pony yet. You shouldn't be scared of something you haven't seen or experienced. That's all just silly, your highness." The girl placed her hand on little Zelda's shoulder. "Just give it a try, okay?"_

_Little Zelda looked down at her feet and bit her lip. She then nodded firmly. "Okay. I'll do it. I'll do it and then one day I'll be able to ride a horse like you, Lady Guinevere!"_

_The girl's smile returned broadly. "That's the spirit! And how many times have I told you, just call me Gwyn, your highness."_

"_And how many times have I told you, just call me Zelda, Guinevere." Little Zelda teased as she stuck her tongue out._

_The two just giggled like sisters as they walked towards the stables together._

* * *

"Are you listening, your majesty? Your majesty? Are you okay?" Ophelia's voice broke through Zelda's thoughts.

Zelda's once glazed over eyes darted towards her lady-in-waiting. "Fine!"

"I have your nightgown here, set out on the bed. Your bath should be ready by now." Ophelia explained as she fixed a crease in the pink night gown. "Will there be anything else this evening?"

Zelda smiled gratefully. "No, Ophelia, this will be fine. You're dismissed for the night."

Ophelia clasped her hands in front of her stomach and then bowed deeply. "Thank you, your majesty. I am in the next room if you need me. All of the knights are downstairs keeping watch. They are also patrolling outside the building and around the village. So do not be worried about safety."

Zelda ran her fingers through her long hair. "I wasn't. Goodnight, Ophelia."

The lady-in-waiting hurried to the door. "Goodnight your majesty, pleasant dreams."

Zelda waited for the door to click shut before getting up and locking it. She sighed as she slid the latch into place. She was finally alone. She was left in peace. She did not have to worry about her council and advisors wishing for meetings in the late hours of the night. She didn't have to worry about Mihari coming to see her at the most inopportune times. Of course, once she started thinking about Mihari, her mind would not leave her at peace.

_What is he up to? _She bit her finger as she made her way to the room's private bathroom. _I bet he's running ragged through the castle trying to find those letters and the notebook._

She laughed a little as she closed the bathroom's door behind herself. _But what about that dragon cry I heard early this morning? It disappeared, but... I can't help but feel that Mihari... or Ghirahim or whatever his name is, is behind it! When I get back home, I'm going to expose him as the freakish creep he is! With the writings of great, great grandma on my side, I hold all of the cards! I can't lose!_

* * *

Mihari's laugh echoed through the castle maniacally. The fireflies in the royal garden hid beneath bushes at the sound of the wicked cackle.

"I've got you now!" Mihari continued to laugh as he flipped through the pages of an old, brown notebook. "Zelda the Sixth and the Hero of Twilight? Together forever and forever protected by some brat? I don't think so!"

The flowers in the garden seemed to darken and wilt at the sight of the magician. He again reached under a bush of white roses and removed another envelope that had _'his last letter' _scribed on it. He opened it and unfolded the contents inside. He began to read it in his head. After a few moments he turned the page over and began to laugh as he licked his lips.

"Well, now I hold all of the cards, your majesty. I hold so many cards they barely fit in my grasp!" Mihari laughed as he fanned the envelopes out in his hands and stared at them in wonder. "But don't worry, I'll find a way to hold them all."

* * *

**Review it! I am pushing this story forward because it's slowing down again, and I don't like that, and you don't like that. So if no one likes it, we change it. I also don't want to be writing this until September. I would **_**like**_** to be totally finished by May. I have also received some romance suggestions from some wonderful readers and I will integrate them as soon as I can (if I use your idea, I will give you credit).**


	28. Meetings

**Act 28: **_**Meetings**_

The nights in Hyrule were often peaceful and only bothered by the sounds of creatures of the night such as keese chirping and busily flapping their wings, wolves baying at the moon, lost spirits that roamed the Hylian plains moaning in sorrow, and small insects creeping up tree trunks.

But the nights in Hyrule had not been full of their usual noisy peace. Of course you now know there had been a great amount of unrest in the nation. Instead the nights had been overwhelmed with the feeling of impending doom. The rain had stopped, but many people still felt as if the world was coming to an end for one reason or another.

The night in Zora's Domain could only be described as beautiful but unnerving. The water waked with restlessness as Link and his Zora guide emerged from the water and climbed ashore.

The water levels in Zora's Domain had risen quite a bit. The shoreline was very narrow and rather difficult to keep balance on. The Zoras did not mind of course, being water beings and what not. To them, more water meant more heaven.

"King Ralis has not left..." the Zora guard who guided Link to the domain commented. He appeared troubled by this piece of information.

"How do you know?" Link panted as he wrung out his soaking wet cap.

The guard's face was grave and full of concern. "We did not meet him or any other Zoras on the way here. There are no Zoras down here in the pool like there usually are. I assume they are all up in the throne room."

Link raised his eyebrows. "So what does that mean?"

"I fear our king is not well." The guard replied sharply as he looked up the roaring waterfall and saw small blue lamplights. "I must go and see what is going on up there."

"What am I going to do?" Link questioned.

The guard gripped his triton tightly and hissed a bit. "You stay here, keep out of trouble and try to stay out of sight. Don't do anything while I'm gone."

Link watched as the guard jumped back into the pool of water. A few moments later his head popped out of the water. Link raised his hand in question. "What happens if someone comes along and finds me? What do I say?"

The guard moaned as he pointed to a cave opening a few feet away from Link. "That is the entrance to Snowpeak. If you see someone coming, run in there and hide. Most Zoras can't stand the cold air that pumps through that cave; so they won't investigate."

Link felt his knees shake and quiver a bit as a blast of cold air blew through the cave and filled the domain for a moment. He crossed his arms and shivered. His teeth chattered a bit as the cold air grasped his lungs tightly like a strangler. His hair and clothing began to freeze a bit on the ends.

"You're still wet." the guard stated in surprise. "Well, you aren't a Zora so your skin doesn't dry quickly like ours... and you're wearing clothes."

Link shook like a leaf. "What do you want me to do? Go nude!?"

"Stay here!" the Zora hushed as he dove deeper into the water. Moments later Link watched the guard scale the waterfall in the only way Zora's could, swim. It was the way Link had gotten up the falls at Lake Hylia. The guard had literally dragged Link through the water and all the way to Upper Zora's River and eventually into Zora's Domain.

Link played with his belt's buckle and then remembered the empty sword sheath on his back. _I sure hope that fish guy gives me a sword and a shield like he promised. There's no way I can run Snowpeak with just a bow. I'm not even that good of a shot..._

* * *

Ordon Village, the setting of many great stories in Hylian lore. The village was the birthplace of many great individuals; from politicians and entertainers to farmers and bounty hunters. But of course, one of the most memorable children of Ordon was the Hero of Twilight. The welcome sign to the village even said in big, bold, white letters, 'THE PROUD HOMETOWN OF THE HERO OF TWILIGHT'. His former home still stood where it always had. The land around it had developed and moved forward but the humble home remained. The village had unofficially named it a heritage site.

Yes, Ordon seemed to be dwelling on the success of one of its own, as if frozen in time. Mayor after mayor made sure to preserve the original buildings in the village just as they had been when the hero lived there. The people of the village believed that it would inspire the youth with the same amount of courage the hero held. Children would often be told that they should go into goat herding and learn the ways of the sword. Some parents even went as far as garbing their children (male and female) in green tunics and caps.

This whole thing may seem foolish to an outsider looking in, but if you live the simple life in a small town, you realize how important one person can be. That person becomes something of legend and becomes intertwined with the pride of his or her respected place of origin.

In a town where they adored someone who had died many years ago and was often linked to the royal family; when news hit of the royal visit, the town went into a frenzy.

Though the grass had been overwatered and was now nothing more than a patch of mud; and water from the town's water source had nearly put the town underwater, the people pulled together and tried to get their waterlogged town in tiptop shape.

One place in particular tried the hardest though, and that place was the Ordon Tavern. The tavern was the village hotspot. It was popular with locals and travelers alike, especially bounty hunters. It was crawling with Hyrule's 'Guardians of Justice', as they liked to call them. And why wouldn't it be? Some of the greatest bounty hunters in the country hailed from Ordon (often thanks to their upbringing). Everyone from Godwin the Great to Good Lady Gwyn and Howie the Huntsman to Oakley the Odd originated from the small farming village in southern Hyrule. The village was proud of them and the tavern even had one of its wooden walls painted with a mural depicted the village's most successful hunters.

Why was the tavern so bent on bounty hunters? Well, if your daughter was successful in something, you too would want to get behind it. Guinevere's parents owned the tavern and as such they welcomed her 'coworkers', much to Guinevere's dismay. But of course, Guinevere was always away so there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

Guinevere's mother, Althea, was the head barmaid. She was a very motherly woman and often addressed everyone as 'sweetie', 'honey', 'dear', 'love' or 'hun'. She was middle aged and had a very comfortable look to her.

Guinevere's father, Jace, who was the great grandson of the Hero of Twilight, was a simple, peace loving and humble man who was in his mid-fifties. He oversaw the rest of the tavern's inner workings. He had sharp, fox-like features.

Althea and Jace's other three children, Mina, Gawain and Hector held down jobs within the village. Mina, who was in her late-twenties, worked in the general store. Gawain, the second eldest child out of the four, herded goats for a living. Then there was Hector, the youngest after Guinevere; he was in his early twenties and though he could not become a knight, he was still the local security guard.

All three children were very kind souls who loved their work and loved their lives. They were far different from Guinevere as you can already tell, Guinevere the dark hearted hero. I cannot yet tell you why she was the way she was. Perhaps her belt was too two sizes too tight or her green cap didn't fit her head just right. Whatever the reason was, Guinevere was a harsh, shell of an individual who cared for no one but herself and her wellbeing.

Althea and Jace of course were beside themselves as to what to do with their daughter. The once happy teen had grown into a bitter and cold woman who would rip your heart out and show it to you before you died. It seemed that every time she returned to Ordon, she was even meaner than the last time. The world had changed her, no doubt about that, but the change seemed deeper than just this.

Guinevere hated the royals and the village agreed that they needed to keep her away while the queen was visiting. They didn't want their reputation dragged through the mud by one of the bounty hunting greats right before the eyes of the crown. It would be an embarrassment.

Why am I telling you this? Well my friend, Ordon would have a royal visitor one way or another and you simply must know of their preparations because the queen was a big deal to them and they were a big deal to the queen.

* * *

Link never took his eyes off of the waterfall that thrashed its contents into the pool below it. Occasionally he would bare his teeth in annoyance and impatience as the Zora guard seemed to be taking a very long time.

With his arms crossed and the hair on the back of his neck standing on end from the frigid breeze that blew through the passageway to Snowpeak, Link began to think about his journey so far. Though he had not done much, he had done far more than any petty servant would have ever been able to do in the castle. He had even gotten weapons and equipment for free! No overpriced Castle Town items for him.

His mind rolled over the people he had met. No matter how much he tried not to, he kept thinking about Zelda. He once waited on her hand and foot, and now he was probably nothing more than a crook to her.

Link tried to remember the last time he saw her. It was before he was sent away. She seemed so upset in her new role. Though Zelda was always unhappy it seemed. Even when she was happy, Link could tell that deep down there was a shred of sorrow haunting her soul. _I wish she could have just been happy. I wish I could have made her truly happy for once. She deserved all the happiness in the world, yet her eyes were always sad. Maybe it is true what they say about royals... they are born into a fishbowl of a world where they are always on display, and they die in their fishbowl just as miserable and lonely as they always were._

The young hero's mind roved over his and the queen's last meeting. _She didn't want me to forget about that spot in the royal gardens. Why? What is so important about that spot?_

Thinking about Zelda and thinking about her sadness made Link sad. She was his friend and he always knew that she was miserable; she was very vocal about it after all. Yet he did nothing about her emotional situation. For years he just obeyed the code of conduct, even when it was obvious the young princess was reaching out for him and his friendship. He did nothing. _Why was I so stupid? Why didn't I just accept her friendship in the first place? It was against the rules, but look where playing by the rules got me... up the creek without a paddle! I wish I could have known her better..._

Link in fact knew Zelda very well. In the seven years he had spent devoted to the young girl's service he had learned much about her. She told him many things, private things, secret things. Zelda knew little of him because he never opened up to her completely like she had to him, but yet she was still comfortable speaking freely to the kitchen boy. Some other kitchen staff often remarked on how relaxed the princess had been in Link's company and even commented on how she probably had a thing for him. Link ignored these comments. Yes, Zelda was very pretty. No, pretty was an understatement, she was beautiful. She had grown into a gorgeous young woman right in front of Link's eyes. Link would look at himself in the mirror and only see a poor boy that would never amount to anything great.

Link was just in that state of mind where one questions their actions and motives in every little scene and phase in their life. Link could not blame himself for not pursuing a true friendship with the princess early on because he was simply doing his job. He had no clue back then that the princess really was as lonely as she seemed and it took him until he was much older to see Zelda for what she truly was; a lonesome, friendless girl who was now a queen and considered to be a woman.

Our young hero had become lost in thought, lost in the memories of his former employer, and most of all, lost in his doubt. He was so lost that he did not even sense someone standing behind him.

"Who do you think you are?" a raspy voice hissed from behind Link.

Link jumped a bit and almost fell into the water in front of him. He caught himself just in time though, thankfully preventing any sort of ruckus that could be heard at the top of the falls.

He turned around to see a young woman standing in the threshold of the Snowpeak passageway with her hands firmly placed on her hips in an authoritarian manner.

An annoyed expression crossed her face as she raised her voice. "I said... who do you think you are?"

Link realized he hadn't responded to her and immediately widened his eyes in fear. "Guinevere!?"

The girl's eyes narrowed as she tried not to laugh Link out of the room. "You're Guinevere? Yeah, right... and I am Din, Goddess of Power!"

Link then realized what he had said. He was referring to the girl, not himself... yet he had answered her question of who he thought he was. He was embarrassed. He had embarrassed himself in front of a completely stranger. "No-no! I meant-

"You think I'm Guinevere, don't you?" the girl grinned and then chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"So, you're not..." Link heaved a sigh of relief.

"Oh goodness no!" the girl raised her hands as she stepped into the moonlight to reveal herself. "Guinevere is a callus bitch! I'm a callus gentlewoman! I'll try not to be offended."

The girl had crow black hair, chocolate brown eyes, thick eyelashes and alabaster skin. Her hair was done up in a messy bun. She carried herself like a man almost. Link felt intimidated by the girl. Perhaps it was the strange white, furry poncho the girl was wearing or the sheathed long sword she wore on her left hip.

Link couldn't believe this. Hyrule sure was a strange place filled with even stranger people. "You don't like Guinevere?"

"No one does!" the girl jeered as she crossed her arms. "Anyone who says they like her is a damn liar! They are afraid of her and therefore they will not badmouth her. She's no good!"

Link was surprised by the girl's bluntness and mannerisms. Everyone had spoken highly of the bounty hunter and now someone was downplaying her to the fullest. This made Link even more curious about this woman who had almost become mythical. _How special could she possibly be? I bet she bleeds red when she's wounded and she sneezes when she is sick with the cold. She is not a god, but yet everyone has spoken of her like she is one. Then this girl... she has no respect for Guinevere at all! It's just one extreme to the next!_

"My name is Piper, by the way." The girl cleared her throat as she extended a gloved hand to Link. "I do research up at Snowpeak."

Link squinted his eyes at the strange girl who was garbed in what appeared to be a yeti costume. "What do you research?"

"Yetis of course!" Piper exclaimed as she lowered her hand, realizing Link didn't wish to shake it. "What business do you got in the domain? No humans allowed."

Link found this odd, as the girl was human herself. So what was she doing? "Aren't you human too?"

"Shhhh." Piper hushed as she put a yeti mask on. "I live up in the mountains and I sneak down here at night every so often to get some fish."

Link knew right then and there that he had found a guide that could show him around Snowpeak. Piper was native to the mountains, so that meant that no one would have more knowledge of them than her.

"Hey, I want to get up the mountains myself. Can you help me out?"

Piper scoffed underneath her mask as she picked up a woven creel basket and a fishing rod off the ground. "No way, Jack!"

"Jack?" Link raised an eyebrow.

"You got no business up the mountains! You'll corrupt my research as well." Piper groaned as she fixed her masked a bit and then tightened her grip on the woven basket. "I'm so close to making contact with yetis and it's taken my family generations to do it! I will not allow some do nothing guy up there to ruin everything we have worked for!"

Link was taken aback by the girl's tone. Girls of this age usually never spoke so harshly, well none that Link had ever met. Blunt, slightly masculine Piper sure was a huge personality leap from the soft spoken, ladylike Zelda that Link had once known.

"Okay, you've gotta come with me now!" a voice in the pool of water behind Link ordered. Link jumped up again in surprise as his stare down with the strange girl had been cut short.

Link turned around to see his Zora guide treading water in the moonlight behind him. The Zora began to explain the situation. "I may or may not have told the king that there is a human here. He is very unwell and is unable to go to the castle as planned. So when I slipped up about your presence he seemed almost excited, which is strange. He wishes to see you! And..."

The Zora saw Piper standing behind Link in her yeti costume and widened his eyes in shock and fear. "A-a-a- a baby yeti!"

Link looked behind him to see Piper with her mask on and holding a creel and a fishing rod innocently. "No... this is-

"Hurry! Get in the water! Yetis can't swim!" the Zora ordered as he splashed around a bit.

"Actually, I think you'd be surprised by what yetis can and can't do. They are fascinating creatures." Piper interjected. She seemed slightly offended as she turned her back on Link and the Zora. "I'm outta here."

"Hey, w-wait!" Link called after her as she disappeared into the corridor that led to Snowpeak.

"It's better to let her go. Yetis are dangerous! It'd be best if you say away from them." The guard scolded. "Now, come with me."

Link pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He then mumbled and moaned he slowly entered the water once more. "She isn't a yeti. She's a person."

* * *

"To exploit or not to exploit, that is the question!" Mihari sighed as he continued to skim through the journal. "Oh, Ghirahim, whatever shall you do with this information? You will make yourself sick if you don't show the world this little book of wonders and these little notes of hopeless love. I could kick that silly little girl off the throne with these! She is an illegitimate heir! Her whole bloodline is illegitimate! But would those old codgers on the council even care about that?"

The dark magician sat in his private chamber, as usual, simply thinking about what he could use this information for. He could bring down the crown and place himself at the top if he really wanted to. The 'codgers' on the royal council were afraid of him and would easily buckle under pressure. So I suppose a quick coup would have been possible.

But alas, in the deep, dark and demented inner workings of Mihari's twisted mind, he had a better idea. Zelda may have been wise and very good at matching Mihari's wit, but Mihari was dead set on breaking the young monarch down. He would see her suffer and beg for her life before his time was through, and he knew that these historical pieces of private property would help him achieve that goal. Mihari was a terrifying adversary. But please, my dear friend, do not underestimate Zelda, for she was quite formidable as well.

* * *

"Link! By the goddesses! Link!" the Zora King gasped as he sat up in his throne. "Is that you? Is it _really_ you!?"

Link swallowed hard in confusion as the rest of the Zoras in the throne room stared at him gravely. He could only imagine what they were thinking. How did some urchin know the King of the Zoras? Well, this urchin also knew the Queen of Hyrule, so perhaps they wouldn't have been as surprised if they had known this.

"You know each other?" Link's Zora guide whispered in Link's ear.

Link shook his head rapidly. "I've honestly never even met a Zora in my life until I met you."

The king leaned forward. The old Zora seemed to be acting like an excited child. "Come closer my friend! Come closer!"

"Uh..." Link pulled on his tunic's collar and then felt pairs of Zora hands push him closer to the king and his throne.

He climbed the few moist, marble steps towards the elderly fish man. He dropped his gaze, fearing the Zora King's intense and interested stare. He then kneeled down on one knee and bowed his head, just as he had when he was formally in the presence of Zelda or her late-father.

Link then looked up for a moment and got a better look at the old king. He was quite a small and withered old Zora. His skin was white and had a pinkish-purple tint to it. He wore golden and silver necklaces and bracelets. The bracelets on his limp limbs seemed to be sliding off of his body.

"My goodness, it is you, isn't it!" the king exclaimed. "It's only been a century since I last heard from you, my friend! You never came to visit and you never wrote for such a long time! But now, you're here!"

"A century?" Link gasped. "Are you sure you aren't confusing me with someone else?"

The king struggled to stand on his feet for a moment, but eventually hoisted himself out of his throne and approached Link. "I'm positive it's you! The clothes! The eyes! The hair! You looked just as you did when I first met you!"

Link stood up to face the king. "Your majesty, there's no way I can be the same guy you're thinking of. Humans don't live _that_ long."

The king put a troubled hand on his chin as he gave Link a onceover. "That is true. I am one hundred and sixty years old and a vast amount of the Hylian monarchs have come and gone, yet I still remain. Zoras have a long lifespan you see. And if you were the Link I was thinking of... I couldn't explain how you look so young yet you should be so old."

Link looked at his boots. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time, your majesty."

"That's fine. I just... I just feel so nostalgic when I look at you." The king put a hand on Link's right shoulder and tried to gaze into his eyes. He was silent for a moment, as if searching for an answer in Link's pupils. "You're right... you aren't him. Your hair is parted on the left side, whereas he parted his on the right. I'm just some crazy old fool who is chasing down his youth. I suppose scheduling a meeting of the minds with a queen who is a hundred and forty three years your junior would do that to you. Oh, I'm King Ralis by the way."

Link's eyes lit up as he knew exactly who Ralis was speaking of. "You were going to see Queen Zelda?"

"Of course! I wished to formally visit with her and discuss the current situations in Hyrule." Ralis explained. "You should have seen her at her coronation! Oh, goodness! She reminded me of her ancestor! The way she carried herself, they way she responded to her vows; she is a very strong young woman. She is very brave and very brilliant as well."

"She is a most excellent ruler!" added one of the king's advisors. "She is a very smart girl indeed."

"I agree!" said another advisor. "Word has it that she has already set up a huge action plan for Hyrule to pull itself back onto its feet without outside help!"

Hearing praise of Zelda made Link feel as if she wasn't as far away as she actually was. Hearing praise of her made him happy that people actually thought she was doing a decent job.

Ralis sighed as he looked towards Link's Zora guide. "So, Flynn says you wish to go to Snowpeak. Is that true?"

"Yes sir." Link nodded nervously.

"And do what there?"

"Surveillance, sir."

"For whom? Are you with Her Majesty's Secret Service?"

"No sir."

"Well, you should be! I mean, just look at you! You seem to be a capable young fella! You-you-you don't have a sword." Ralis looked over Link's shoulder to see the empty sheath attached to his back.

Link reached his left hand to his left shoulder to again notice that his sword was gone and only the sheath remained. "Uh... yeah, I lost it."

Ralis' old green eyes sparkled a bit as he smiled. "Well, allow me to give you one! Oh, and a shield too! Going up to Snowpeak is dangerous business. You need something to protect yourself with."

"Oh, you don't have to do that." Link shook his head even though he knew he wanted new equipment.

"Nonsense!" Ralis clapped his hands. "Moray, get this boy a sword and a shield!"

"Right away, sire!" one of the king's advisors bowed as he exited the throne room in a hurry.

"Manta, get this boy a room to sleep in for the night!" Ralis ordered.

"A room!?" Link's eyes bulged. "No, I couldn't possibly!"

It had been far too long since Link had felt the comforts of a real bedroom. The generosity of the Zora King had blow Link's mind. He said 'no', but deep down, he wanted all of the things that were being given to him.

"No, I insist!" Ralis argued. "I don't know what it is about you, but I like you. You remind me of the Hero of Twilight, and that's a good thing."

Link looked at his brown boots once more. Being compared to the Hero of Twilight was considered an honour. Reminding someone of the Hero of Twilight was an even bigger honour. It was an honour Link didn't feel worthy of.

* * *

**Review it! I'm trying my best with these updates but I am very busy and very tired. Please forgive me. I see how many people follow this story and enjoy it, and it kills me that I can't finish! Stay with me! The idea of adding Piper to this story is credited to "The Pilot" who sent in some great story suggestions.**


	29. His Name Was Ghirahim

**Act 29: **_**His Name Was Ghirahim**_

Zelda and her lady-in-waiting sat at a table in the Kakariko inn, where they had stayed the night. They were readying themselves for their travels to Ordon the following day. Yes, one day in Kakariko did not seem like enough, but it was all that Zelda was allowed. She was needed back at the castle as soon as possible, so one day at each stopped was the rule. Even Zelda, who was the Queen of Hyrule, wasn't allowed to break this rule.

"We'll be ready to go soon, my lady, please be patient." One of Zelda's knights assured her before bowing and leaving in a respectable march.

Zelda merely munched on a tea biscuit gracefully and silently as she nodded. She was not looking forward to another bumpy ride in the carriage to Ordon Village, but it had to be done. Besides, the knights assured her that the ride from Kakariko to Ordon was much shorter than the one from the castle to Kakariko. She took this information with a grain of salt though, even though as a child she had drawn and labeled numerous maps of Hyrule for her tutors and she knew what she was told was correct. Deep in her heart, Zelda knew that the ride ahead was going to be long, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Did you sleep well last night, your majesty?" Ophelia's chipper morning voice inquired as she fidgeted with the simple, white sleeves of the young monarch's dress. "How was your bath? Was it warm enough?"

Zelda sighed at the lady-in-waiting's textbook morning inquiries. It seemed that Zelda was asked these questions every single morning, and every single morning her answer was the same. "I slept well and my bath was perfect. Thank you for asking."

"Oh that's wonderful, my lady!" Ophelia responded. This was also a textbook response.

Zelda took one last bite out of her tea biscuit before turning to Ophelia and giving her a very serious stare. "Ophelia..."

The lady-in-waiting stopped her fidgeting at once and sat up straight. "My lady?"

Zelda's eyes darted around the room to make sure no one was there but them. "Ophelia, may I be so bold to ask, what do you think of me?"

Ophelia's eyes widened in shock at the question. She appeared to be trying to digest what the queen had just asked her and she was having trouble with acid reflux. Therefore she remained silent and let her mind battle out what she would say.

"Ophelia?" Zelda gave her lady-in-waiting a concerned look. "Answer honestly."

"Well, I think your majesty is a most wonderful ruler and person!" Ophelia smiled and nodded rapidly.

_Textbook reply. _Zelda's eyes seemed annoyed as her gaze dropped to the floor. "Yes."

"You are very beautiful too, my lady. You are also very smart and kind and generous and selfless. The list goes on! Is it any wonder why men are trying to break your door down?"

"Ophelia, I don't care what the employee handbook thinks about me. I want to know what you think of me." Zelda groaned at her lady-in-waiting's replies. "Can you not think for yourself?"

Ophelia looked surprised as all of the blood rushed out of her face. "Your majesty... that is what I think of you."

Zelda realized this was a stupid idea and that she would never get anywhere with it. "I'm sorry Ophelia. I'm just a little tired. I don't know why I even bothered asking."

"But your majesty, you said you slept well last night?" Ophelia winced.

Zelda did not even have to look at Ophelia for her to realize that the young queen was annoyed with her. In a world where everyone said 'yes' to you, you too would become irritated. Zelda was not a by the book queen, but yet she was surrounded with by the book people.

But why did Zelda suddenly care about this? Why? I mean, she only lived with it every day of her life. But you see, when Zelda got outside of the cold, stone castle walls, she realized something about the world. The world was flawed far more than she ever knew or ever would have seen in her sheltered life within the castle. She knew that everyone in her life would nod their heads and smile at her, but it was not until she saw the mayor of Kakariko pass out drunk and the unimpressed council having to deal with it, that she saw what was really going on. Though her subordinates said one thing, they could be thinking another.

This was always the case with Mihari. Then again, Mihari was like this with everyone. Zelda would often give it right back to him, but she knew Mihari saw through her. Mihari had seen through everyone. Everyone from Prince Perceval to her father King Gengo, and now he was trying to haze her as well. That would not happen.

"How much longer until we set out?" Zelda asked in lady-in-waiting in a soft voice.

Ophelia stopped slouching and again sat up straight as soon as the queen addressed her. "I'd say another hour, your majesty. That is what the knights told me this morning."

"Is it raining out?" Zelda slid her gaze towards a nearby window. "No. Hm... rain has stopped."

"Thank the goddesses! It must be their handiwork!" Ophelia clasped her hands together as if wanting to send a prayer of thanks. "We must thank them for this gift."

As Ophelia began her prayer, Zelda sat at the table and tapped her fingers nervously off of it. _I don't like this._

* * *

A lone and horse and its rider stood stationary overlooking the Kakariko Gorge. They stood behind a fence up on a raised hill and seemed to be waiting for something or someone.

The rider was hooded and this hid their features. They stood tall and muscular next to their horse and never took their eyes off the opening that led to Kakariko Village. They tapped their right foot impatiently as they crossed their arms

Dawn had broken over Hyrule about an hour before the hooded rider had arrived on their stakeout perch.

The rider let out a heavy cough. It was no doubt smoker's cough from years of the wicked habit.

Smoking had become popular in Hyrule during the reign of Laertes, who was also a heavy smoker. It declined in fame shortly after his death (people often said that it is what caused the king to die). Of all the things Laertes did in his lifetime, the only thing he ever did that made his mother visibly upset with him was smoking. Zelda VI was said to be incredibly vocal about her son's bad habit. At one point she was even said to have stopped speaking to him because she dislike it so much and did not want the smell of the expensive Goron tobacco stinking up her living space. Obviously this would have been quite irritating and embarrassing for a grown man with a family of his own. But of course, Laertes was devoted to his mother, so he hated when she was upset. Therefore he would 'quit' for about a week or two and then start smoking once again. Why Laertes never wished to disappoint his mother is a story for another day though.

"Where are they?" the rider murmured in a deep, manly voice. "Wasting my time."

But for whatever reason he continued to stand there and wait for whoever he was waiting for. Yes, the longer he waiting, the more danger he put himself in. But he wanted to get what he needed, so he would wait an eternity. When you are in the business of crime, you do dangerously stupid things.

* * *

"And the Zora King also wanted you to have these." One of the Zora advisors handed Link a pair of flippers. "Not sure what good they'll do for you up at Snowpeak, but I'm sure they'll be of use at some point in time."

"Um... thank you!" Link smiled as he adjusted the new sword and shield on his back.

The sword was crafted of fine steel and had a blue hilt on it that sparkled without even needing light shining on it. Link had tested it out with a few swings before putting it on and he liked the feel of it. Though it was not as comfortable in his grip as the sword Zelda had given him, he still liked it.

The shield was a basic, circular piece of metal equipment. It was a deep blue colour and had silver plating framing it. The mark of the Zora tribe was proudly painted in white on the centre of the shield, popping out to those who viewed it. It was a sturdy and well built piece of gear, far better than anything Link had ever handled or ever would have been able to afford.

"That there has Zora scales infused in the silver. Meaning it can be used quite effectively in water based combat. Again, I'm not sure if it will be useful to you at Snowpeak, but it's nice to have." The advisor explained as he watched Link store the flippers in his hammer space of an adventure pouch.

"How does it work?" Link raised an eyebrow as he removed the shield from his back and examined it closely, running his fingers over the silver framing.

The Zora advisor chuckled as he extended a hand. "Let me see it."

Link obliged and handed the shield over quickly, eager to see what the Zora would do with it.

The advisor smiled as he held the shield like a boomerang in his right hand and then extended his right arm over his left shorter, in a wind up position. After a few moments adjusting his grip on the shield, he quickly snapped his right arm out but did not let go of the shield. "Like that, but you let go."

"So it's like a boomerang?" Link questioned as he took the shield back.

"Yes. When it touches water, the silver framing will become incredibly sharp. When you throw the shield it will cut your enemies in half. It dulls down a bit after it hits something though, so you won't get cut on the rebound." The advisor explained. "Your sword is also infused with Zora scales in the hilt. This makes it easier to swing your sword when you are submerged in water. You will have very little resistance."

Link nodded gratefully as he put the shield back on his back and smiled. "Thank you, so much."

"Do not thank me, thank King Ralis. He seems to have taken a liking to you." The advisor clarified. "You had your own bedroom for the night, you've had breakfast, you have received the newest and most cutting edge equipment and you now have passage to Snowpeak! The king is in a good mood for not being able to make the trip to see the queen."

"He's not going to see her?" Link furrowed his brow in surprise. "Why?"

"He is ill with a disease only Zoras get. It is a fin rash that spreads to the gills and scales. It can lead to death. The king must stay in or near water at all times. Therefore he sits in his throne room all day and all night with doctors watching him from afar."

Link felt sorry for elderly fish man. He had lived through many decades and seen many things. If he died it would be the death of one of Hyrule's wisest beings of the modern era who was often described as a living history text. But it was through this thought that Link decided on what he would do next. "May I speak with the king one more time before I go?"

"I guess so, but why?" the advisor asked.

Link fixed his blonde hair a bit before narrowing his eyes and speaking quite seriously. "I need to ask him about a certain magician."

* * *

Guinevere sat alone with her horse at her outpost in the Faron Province, waiting for her prey to appear. There was a lot of waiting involved in the bounty hunting industry, and this was only one example of such a thing.

Guinevere, the heartless wench, the woman without fear, the Hero of Twilight's heiress apparent, a woman who cared little for anyone but herself, Hyrule's most hated and most loved woman; whatever title you gave her, she would not care. Much like she did not care that she was very close to her home, Ordon.

Guinevere sat under a tree and played with her black tights, possibly reviewing her plans in her mind. But before she could scan another tactic through her brain, she heard the pounding of steel horseshoes in the distance, rumbling and shaking the ground beneath her. She grinned as she stood up and then mounted her horse. "More idiots coming to die."

* * *

"Link! What brings you back here? I thought you were ready to travel to Snowpeak!" Ralis' wheezy elderly voice gasped as he dipped his left hand into a small water basin. His wrinkled face seemed to relax at the water's soothing touch. "What is it you please?"

Link, along with the king's advisors were surprised at how nonchalant and easy going Ralis was acting around Link. "I have a few questions to ask you, your majesty."

"Go ahead!" Ralis wheezed. "I'll try my best to answer them."

"What does the name _Mihari _mean to you?" Link asked curiously as he stood up from his bowing position.

Ralis stared straight ahead and thoughtfully wiggled his frail fingers in the water basin. "Mihari..."

Link and the king's underlings watched the king's actions as he tried to recall the name. The look on his aged face spoke volumes. Link knew that Ralis knew who Mihari was.

"He was the meddling magician of my friend and ally, weak minded King Gengo the Second of Hyrule." Ralis finally responded slowly and carefully. "I say he was meddling, because he was always trying to interfere with matters."

Link studied the Zora King's face for a moment and then nodded seriously.

"But you want to know more, don't you?" Ralis chuckled wholeheartedly. "You are more like my dear friend, the Hero of Twilight, than you think."

Link smirked a bit at the statement. Though he may not have seen himself as much of a hero, someone who knew a real hero saw a champion in him, and that meant a lot to Link.

Ralis sat back in his throne as he removed his hand from the small basin and sighed. He appeared to be trying to think of a place to start. Link was pleased by this, as it meant the Zora King knew a lot about Mihari.

"Where shall I start? Hmmm." Ralis cleared his throat and played with the fine gold necklace that hung down on his chest. "It is no secret that Gengo was a weak man, but he was not always like that. When he was about your age, he would come here and dive into the pool at the bottom of the domain. He was a very daring and ambitious young lad. But as the years went by and his titles changed, his mind began to fracture under the pressure, which is not uncommon for those who hold high status. He looked for an easy way out, a cheat, and one day Mihari appeared, as if to answer all of his prayers."

"Where did he come from?" one of Ralis' advisors asked out of intrigue.

"I'm getting to that! Hold on!" Ralis whined and waved the advisor's inquiry off. "I hate when you want me to skip ahead like that. It ruins the story."

The advisor bowed in embarrassment. "Yes, of course, I apologize, your majesty."

"Right. So, Mihari did a lot of things for Gengo, even found him a wife. She was a pretty little thing that lived near the Hylia Hamlet, if I recall correctly. My guards saw Mihari stand back and watch as a group of Moblins destroyed her home and kidnapped her. Mihari took her back to the castle with him and presented her to Gengo." Ralis nodded. "So, then Princess Zelda came along and then Deidre died, right when Gengo was beginning to get some confidence back in his abilities. So Gengo rushed back to Mihari's side and Mihari again took control of most of the king's affairs. Mihari was like a puppet master and Gengo was the little dummy who only did what Mihari said."

Link tried to soak in what was being said to him.

"Now, when I first saw Mihari I thought he looked mighty familiar." Ralis explained and then stared into the pool of water that was in the middle of the throne room. "Many years ago, when I was still young, there was a boy named Prince Perceval. He was the son of Queen Zelda and King Erik of Hyrule. The Queen Zelda I am speaking of is the same Zelda from the days of the Hero of Twilight. Now then... when she brought her two sons, Laertes and Perceval to Zora's Domain I was quite surprised by them. They were very different."

The water in the throne room's pool sloshed and thrashed gently against the stone steps that led to the throne where the king sat as he sat quietly. Ralis appeared to be troubled by his thoughts and memories at this point.

"That Perceval was a troubled soul. I knew the moment I saw him that he was not like the rest of us. I wish I would have told his mother back then, and maybe I could have spared her from the heartache and pain." Ralis mumbled regretfully. "Perceval had a strange friend much like Mihari. He was well practiced in the ways of magic and sorcery. He was also a disturbingly sick looking individual. His name was Ghirahim."

Ghirahim. The name echoed throughout the throne room and domain and in Link's mind. Link felt like he should know it, as if in a past life he had heard it many times before and the king's words acted as type of verbal déjà vu.

"He had the eyes of a demon, something not of this world." Ralis' eyes were troubled. "When Perceval and Laertes were down to the last straw, Zelda sent Perceval to the summer home on Lake Hylia. My guards watched him and this Ghirahim fellow plot the demise of Hyrule."

"I sent word to the queen and her son of Perceval's actions, and what happened next would go down in history as one of the darkest victories of the royal family. Laertes killed Perceval on the Bridge of Eldin all those years ago. Thus protecting his land and everyone he loved. He had to kill his own brother in front of his mother's eyes." Ralis seemed saddened by this. "Zelda was so heartbroken by her youngest son's death, but she hid it from Laertes, not wanting him to feel more guilt than he already did. She held it all in and only told me of it after I broke her down, trying to get some answers about what really happened that day. But do you want to know what else she told me?"

Link nodded.

Ralis sat forward and whispered in Link's ear, not wanting the rest of his advisors and yes-men to hear. "She told me, that when Perceval fell and she ran to embrace him one last time. She said saw Ghirahim standing on the other side of the bridge, glaring at her with a frown; but then he began smiling and laughing before disappearing into a wall of diamond shapes."

Link's eyes widened as he knew exactly what the key words in Ralis' sentence were._ The wall of diamonds... that's a trick that Mihari does to disappear. _

"Now, for many years I have sat and thought on this. I met Ghirahim once when Perceval was visiting here on behalf of the crown. He brought Ghirahim with him and said he was his assistant." Ralis appeared agitated by what he was saying and then stuck his hand back into the small water basin. "I never forget a face. So when I met Mihari many years later, I began to connect the dots, and I assume you are doing that now."

Before Link could tell the Zora King his answer, Ralis interrupted him. "Ghirahim and Mihari are the same devil!"

Link looked at Ralis with the upmost amount of respect and understanding. His gaze fixed on the Zora King as he nodded. "That's what I was thinking too."

"You might not have the Triforce of Wisdom, but intelligence doesn't escape you totally." Ralis laughed. "If you're really feeling up to it, try writing 'Ghirahim' backwards and then you'll be in for a surprise. It will only make your case against him that much stronger."

Link bowed gratefully. "Thank you, your majesty for your time."

"No problem my friend. It is up to you what you want to do with this information." Ralis wheezed and then waved Link away. "Now, go forth my child, and do not falter!"

With this last sentence, Link narrowed his eyes and gave the king one last nod of respect before turning his back on him and running out of the throne room and towards the waterfall.

Ralis watched Link go and saw his silhouette freefall from the edge of the waterfall. The old king smiled peacefully and murmured to himself so no one could hear. "You're so much like him."

* * *

**Review it! Link's new shield is inspired by Captain America's Shield (in case you wanted reference). This was such a bridge chapter.**


	30. A Symphony of Death

_(READ ME BEFORE YOU READ ANYTHING ELSE! Do you want to influence my next story? YEAH! Okay, creep my profile here and scroll down to where you see "INFAMOUS OPTIONS" and read all of the summaries I have given you for story ideas. Then vote for your favourite idea on the poll I have set up. To give everyone a fair amount of time to vote, the poll closes when the very last chapter of this story, "Outlawed Love", is posted. The last chapter is where I will reveal the winning story idea. I can't seem to decide on which idea I want to do and I want to do all of the ideas I have listed, but the winning idea will be the one I am doing FIRST! VOTE! Tell your friends! Do it for the children! Vote right now! Do it right now, I can wait. Okay, now you can read this Zelda heavy chapter, I hope you enjoy it! –Infamous 2/24/13)_

* * *

**Act 30: **_**A Symphony of Death**_

Ophelia sat across from Zelda in the carriage and there had been few words between them since they started rolling onward towards Ordon.

Zelda sat with the Hero of Twilight's bow in her lap and a quiver of arrows by her side, as if she was prepared for the worst.

"Majesty, you seem anxious." Ophelia cleared her throat and adjusted in her purple, velvet seat.

"Why do you say that?" Zelda looked up from her hands and at her lady-in-waiting.

"Well, it's just... you have a weapon sitting in your lap." Ophelia giggled childishly.

Zelda smiled a bit, trying to hide her true motives. "Well, it is such a nice gift and I didn't want any of the knights getting it banged up. It's safe with me."

Ophelia took the queen's answer seriously and believed it to be true. Zelda never lied unless there was a reason, and Ophelia couldn't think of a reason. Of course, Ophelia did not know everything about Zelda.

And with that the queen and lady-in-waiting sat in silence once more. The only noise that could be heard was the sound of the carriage's wheels rolling through the mud and the muck of Hyrule Field and the timely sounds of the horseshoes stomping down on the saturated soil.

But then the carriage wheeled to a stop and the yells and cries of the knights could be heard.

Zelda sat up at attention and Ophelia fell into hysteria.

"My lady, get down!" Ophelia gasped as she tried to pull the young monarch to the floor of the carriage but Zelda would not oblige. "Please, my lady! A stray arrow could-

But before Ophelia could finish her sentence Zelda had swung open the carriage door and readied the Hero of Twilight's bow for action. She had put the quiver over her shoulder and now stood in front of the carriage, ready to fight.

"Your majesty!" Ophelia screamed as she watched Zelda scan the area around the carriage. "What are you doing!? Are you crazy!?"

"What is going on here?" Zelda questioned with authority. One of her knights looked down at her from his horse and almost fainted.

"Your majesty! Get back in the carriage! We're under attack!"

"By who!?" Zelda quizzed as she tried to see her attackers.

Suddenly Zelda felt a quick breeze whiz by her ear and heard the sharp whistle of a fired arrowed. She then heard Ophelia scream out in pain from behind her. It was a blood curdling scream.

Zelda turn to see the lady-in-waiting trying to pull an arrow out of her right arm. Ophelia had been sitting in the safety of the carriage the whole time and had been hit with the stray arrow that she was so worried about.

"I got one!" screamed one of the attackers in the distance. "I think I hit the queen!"

"You want me to go back in there?" Zelda scoffed in disbelief. "I don't think so! They think they've shot me!"

The knight looked at the queen briefly but he saw her point. "Fine. But stay behind us, majesty! If something happens to you, we better start tying our own hanging ropes now."

"Majesty!" Ophelia cried from the carriage as all hell began to break loose on the small plain. She had successfully removed the arrow from her upper arm but was bleeding profusely. "Come back!"

Zelda gave her lady-in-waiting a sorry glance of apology as she shook her head. She would not be getting back in the carriage as that was where her attackers suspected her to be.

Zelda readied the bow and knew that if she had a clear shot, she would take it. She had no idea who she was aiming at, but she knew she had to protect not only herself, but her security team as well. Zelda did not want to be another helpless damsel, and though a lot of her strength was with books, she was still a good shot with a bow.

But as Zelda stood behind her knights in shining armour, she realized that she was beginning to sink in the grimy terrain beneath her feet. Her custom made flats were being caked in mud and the hem of her white dress was being dyed brown from the muck.

She would slip and slide, trying to position herself in a way that would not make her feel like her toes were being swallowed by chocolate pudding. She tumbled a few times and found herself falling to her knees and dropping the Hero's bow onto the boggy ground with her. By the time Zelda was comfortable with her surroundings, her simple white dress was a putrid brown and clods of mud stained her blonde hair and made her look more like a brunette. Lastly, her flawless face was lined with mud; she looked like a savage warrior going into battle.

The knights of course did not notice their queen struggling to find her bearings; they were fighting off her assailants. Two of them had already fallen by the hands of the enemies, their faces disrespectfully down in the dirt.

The cries of pain and agony rang through Zelda's young ears, but she could not see anything. Her knights had formed a shining metal blockade around the carriage door and were casting down the offenders to the best of their abilities, but they were losing, even though they remained on horseback to have the upper hand in combat.

"Protect her majesty at all costs!" they yelled again and again as Zelda continued to try to get a clear view of someone to shoot at.

Ophelia tried reaching out to her employer but Zelda was always two steps away from her, and Ophelia didn't want to leave the 'safety' of the carriage. Of course most of the stray arrows were aimed at her, probably to shut her up as her screaming was quite annoying. Even Zelda found herself wincing at the wails. There was even a point when Zelda considered shooting an arrow at Ophelia and purposely missing just to get her to faint and keep her quiet.

With a howl, another knight fell at the hands of the enemy and the knights' blockade shooed the horse away and closed the gap quickly as an arm with a blood spattered axe swung down and grazed through Zelda's personal space. Zelda found the protective barrier the knights had made was becoming smaller and smaller every few minutes due to knights being killed.

"They're closing in on us!" the knight on Zelda's right called out between the clinks and clanks of metal on metal. "We need help!"

"If I we could get to some Hawk Grass we could call down a hawk and send a note to the barracks on the other side of Faron Province!" another knight replied. "But I don't see any Hawk Grass around here!"

Zelda felt despair beginning to close in on her as another knight fell to the ground. "Who is attacking us!?"

"Bloody outlaws or something!" replied a knight as the clinks and clanks of swords continued to ring through the morning air. "Majesty, stay down!"

Zelda looked at her muddied dress as she crouched down a bit. _I picked the wrong day to wear white. The laundry ladies are going to have a heck of a time getting the stains out of this._

Another knight fell to the ground before Zelda's eyes. In her crouching position she could see the feet of her foes as well as the blood puddles that were blending with the pools of mud. It was the blood of both her security team and the ones they were trying to defend her from.

The knights drew closer and closer as more of them fell down and faced their deaths. Zelda was trying to keep her composure. She would not cry and she would not scream like a child. She was yet to take a shot at anyone and she couldn't explain why. She had seen several openings but she couldn't bring herself to release the arrow and send it through someone's skull.

Alas, clinks and clanks continued along with the wails of pain and splatters of blood. It was a symphony of death, and Zelda had orchestra seats. She could barely take another minute of the killing and blood spilling. She could see bodies falling on the other side of the wall of knights, and knew her security team was making progress in fighting back, but so many knights had already died.

Zelda's mind flashed back to when she was a child and what her father had said to her while he played chess against Mihari as she keenly sat and watched. It was one of the only lessons her father had ever given her about being the ruler of a kingdom.

* * *

"_When you are the monarch, people will lay down their lives for you. That is just how it is." Zelda's father, King Gengo, explained as he moved a white pawn on the chess board forward. _

"_Mhm." Mihari agreed as he examined the board, trying to calculate his counter move. _

"_You see Zelda, ruling a kingdom is like playing chess. You have the king and queen at the back calling the shots and they are surrounded by pawns, knights, bishops and rooks. They are all at your disposal and their whole purpose for existing is to protect the crown." Gengo explained as he waited for his magician to make a move. _

"_But what if I don't want them to?" Zelda questioned as she watched Mihari move a black knight piece diagonally to the right._

_Mihari laughed through his nose as he place the black knight piece on the white square. "They will do it anyway, just like sheep to slaughter."_

_Gengo did not seem to argue Mihari's blunt reply to his daughter, as it was the harsh truth. He simply nodded thoughtfully at his magician's choice of move and he began to calculate his next decision._

"_You are not very good at this, sire." Mihari teased, speaking on the king's poor chess skills. "Your daughter is much better at it than you."_

_Zelda caught wind of the compliment and blushed a bit. Even though Mihari was creepy, Zelda still valued the attention, especially at a young age._

_Gengo snickered as he sent his rook forward. "Zelda always pulls bold moves when it comes to chess. She puts her queen and king in very odd positions on the board."_

"_A reflection on how she will govern one day?" Mihari grinned with a subtle giggle._

_Gengo's face was troubled as he glanced at his daughter in a scolding manner. "I would hope not. Moves like that are incredibly foolish."_

_Zelda looked down at her small hands in disappointment. She couldn't seem to do anything right in her father's eyes, not even play a silly board game. Gengo was one to talk though, as he was a very foolish man for more reasons than one. He was also a terrible chess player._

_The game continued for a few moments as Zelda watched as Mihari outwitted her father time and time again. Mihari's black game pieces began to take over the board as more and more of Gengo's white pieces were getting removed from play. It was obvious who would win the game._

"_Checkmate." Mihari smiled widely as he licked his lips. "Good game, majesty."_

"_I don't know how you do it, Mihari." Gengo said with a frustrated sigh. "Would you like to play again?"_

_Mihari darted his eyes to his right and at the young princess. "Perhaps your daughter would like a turn?"_

_Gengo cleared his throat as he turned to his daughter. "Well Zelda, would you like to play?"_

_Zelda smiled and nodded quickly. She would have loved to play against her father and prove to him that her strategies were not foolish at all._

_Gengo stood up from his seat. "Very well. Play against Mihari. I have to go and review a trade agreement with the council."_

_Zelda's eyes sank to the floor as she saw her father get up and leave her with the magician. She saw him whisper something to Mihari, probably telling him to go easy on her and to let her win._

"_Okay, your highness, shall we begin?" Mihari smiled a toothy grin as he welcomed the princess to the chair across the table from him._

* * *

Within moments Zelda stood alone. Everyone, including her lady-in-waiting was on the ground, bloodied, battered and deceased, except her. The young queen had endured and won the right to die another day.

She had no idea what had just happened. Everyone had just dropped dead with arrows sticking out of them every which way. All the knights, all the attackers and even Ophelia, were in slumps on the muddy earth.

Zelda's eyes were petrified as she fell to the ground in sorrow. _Just like Dad said... they all fall down, just for me._

She tried not to cry and mourn the loss of the brave people who had tried to protect her. She needed to be strong. She needed to find a way to get back home as well.

She looked up from her muddy hands and saw a figure lurching towards her in the distance.

"Oh thank goodness!" Zelda sighed as a hooded man approached her slowly. He walked with a strange limp as he inched closer to her. She believed he was coming to her aid. "Thank you so much, dear sir. How can I ever repay you?"

He said nothing, but he growled and groaned a bit under his breath. His black knee-high boots splashed the mud every which way as it caked in the bronze spurs on them. His pants were beige and were covered partly by a navy blue waistcloth that had something in Hylian embroidered on it, but Zelda could not tell what it was. The rest of his outfit involved a maroon coloured, long sleeved coat that had a large hood that covered his face with a shadow.

"What is your name, good sir?" Zelda asked, raising her voice, wondering if he had not heard her speak the first time.

There was still no response. The man gripped a bow tightly in his right hand and continued to approach the young queen.

"Drop your weapon, sir, there is no threat here." Zelda ordered as she stood up in her little muddy dent in the ground.

The man still continued on his path towards Zelda and she knew the man was not coming to her rescue as she raised the Hero of Twilight's bow and readied herself to take aim at the man's feet, hoping shooting near him would scare him away.

Zelda drew the arrow back and prepared to release it. She closed her eyes, fearing that she would actually hit the man.

"Do it!" he hissed as he continued to approach her. "Do it! I dare you! The Queen of Hyrule can kill, can't she?"

Zelda's eyes widened at the man's response. He could indeed speak, but his voice was mangled and laced with what could be best described as insanity.

"You're mad!" Zelda called out to the man. "Who are you? Answer me!"

The man pulled his hood back to reveal his scarred and pierced face and his bald head. "I am Wilhelm, and I am going to kill you."

Zelda swallowed hard as sweat dripped down her brow. Her pulse stopped but then began to race as she lowered her bow for a moment and tried to digest what was being said to her. "You're what?"

* * *

Mihari scanned the stuffy conference room of councilmen with a mean look on his face. "So, gentlemen, what say you about this little revelation? Go ahead, speak up!"

The councilmen sat on their benches that lined the long wooden table. They whispered with each other and sent knowing glances across the room, trying to key into the emotions of everyone else without uttering a single word.

"Well, I'm waiting." Mihari crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "Her majesty is an illegitimate heir to the throne of Hyrule. So, what are you going to do about it?"

"W-well, we would have to redraw the succession charts and that could take a while. We'll have to go back to Zelda the Sixth's grandparents and work from there as she and her father did not have any siblings." One of the councilmen spoke up as he flipped through the old pages of Zelda VI's journal. "We'll have to trace the lineage down until the present era and that could get tricky if there were divorces or deaths or anything like that. Not to mention, this will be very expensive and the treasury might not want to fund it."

Mihari moaned. "So you're pretty much telling me that you are willing to turn a blind eye to this?"

"Well, no-

"Yes you are! You're feeding out a bunch of excuses!" Mihari shouted dramatically, making the room rumble a bit.

The councilmen cringed and braced themselves in fear of the magician's rage. It had come down to where their loyalties lied; in their fear of Mihari, or in their trust in Zelda.

* * *

"I will kill you and only the rats in Castle Town will mourn you!" Wilhelm screamed as the piercings in his face glimmered like pieces of gold in a dark cave. He had two rings in either nostril, one in his lower lip, one in his upper lip, three in his right eyebrow and two in his left eyebrow.

Zelda's heart banged and rumbled in fear. She could feel her knees quivering and wanting to give out on her. Her vision blurred as the man drew closer and produced a jagged dagger from his coat. _Protect yourself Zelda! Save yourself! Shoot out his leg!_

But no matter how much Zelda told herself to fire a shot at the man, should could not bring herself to do it. She could never injure someone purposely; she didn't have it in her.

Before she could even realize what was happening the man had her in a headlock with the old dagger held tightly to her throat. Zelda was frozen in place, she couldn't struggle and she couldn't put up a fight, it was like her whole body had shut down and given up. She was at the mercy of Wilhelm, the crazed maniac.

_This is the end..._ She told herself as a small, single tear ran down her face, as if it was a criminal escaping from the prison that was her tear duct.

"Oh, don't cry my dear. Tell you what, for being such a good darling, I will make your death quick." Wilhelm chuckled a bit.

"Someone HELP!" Zelda shouted as she began to get feeling back in her body. She began to struggle a bit against the psycho.

"No one can here you out here, queeny! This is the end! I will be famous for killing Queen Zelda the Sixth!" Wilhelm laughed as he falsely recited Zelda's title.

"Let me go, you nutcase!" Zelda cried, dropping the Hero of Twilight's bow to the ground as she squirmed in Wilhelm's tense grip. "HELP ME!"

The struggle went on for another five minutes or so, but to Zelda it felt like five hours had past. I cannot tell you why Wilhelm just didn't kill her and finish the deed; but I can tell you that Wilhelm was certifiable. People who are certifiable tend to think a little differently. A certifiable rascal like Wilhelm probably got a sick thrill out of watching the Queen of Hyrule beg for mercy and try to get away. He was savouring the moment. He wanted the bragging rights and wanted to the infamy that would follow.

"I sure hope you don't intend on marrying this man, majesty. He can't even remember that you are Zelda the _Seventh_." A woman's voice teased. "If you are, I must simply object to your nuptials for he is not going to be alive for them."

Zelda gasped with her eyes wide open. Someone had heard her cries for help and was coming to the rescue. Not only that, but they knew who she was even though she looked like a swamp monster. "Where are you!?"

"I know that voice." Wilhelm spit out a scoff in Zelda's ear. "Guinevere the Bounty Hunter is coming to save you? Hahaha, that's funny. She never really _saves_ anybody!"

Zelda's eyes darted to her peripheral vision to see the crazed maniac laughing at her and licking his lips, just like Mihari did. The cold, unfriendly steel of the dagger clenched even tighter to her throat.

"Let's play a game." Wilhelm chuckled. "Guinevere, if I even see your shadow, the queen gets it!"

"What do you call this game? 'Groundhog Day'?" Guinevere's calm voice responded from wherever she was hiding.

"Sure, let's go with that." Wilhelm growled as Zelda tried to break free once again.

"It's a game I have played many times, Wilhelm, and I have never lost." Guinevere sighed. "Of course, I don't really care what you do to her majesty. As long as I can collect your bounty, I'll be happy."

Wilhelm widened his eyes as the piercings in his nose swayed in surprise. "You don't care what happens to your queen? BAHAHA!" He glanced at Zelda with a smirk on his face. "Well, I guess your cucco is cooked, my dear! Guinevere is staying true to her creed."

Zelda bit her lip in fear. Guinevere wouldn't help her after all it seemed. The stories of Good Lady Gwyn had all been true, she was heartless and her nickname was only a sick joke.

Wilhelm drew the dagger back, readying himself to slit Zelda's throat. But before he could carry out the deed a single arrow went soaring through the air and stuck right in his windpipe.

Wilhelm dropped the dagger to the ground and began to cough and choke. The arrow sat snuggly in his neck and had punctured several things. it would only be a matter of time before he dropped dead with the rest of the corpses on the ground.

Zelda rushed away from the nutcase and stumbled a bit. A huge blanket of relief flowed over her at that moment.

Then _she_ appeared. As if from thin air she dropped out of a nearby tree. Guinevere, the bounty hunter, Zelda's rescuer appeared before her eyes. She had a rope slung over her left arm and a bow clenched in her right hand.

"Oh thank you so much, miss!" Zelda squealed a bit in excitement. "How can I ever repay you?"

Guinevere was silent for a moment as she ripped the arrow out of Wilhelm's neck and discarded it on the ground. She grabbed him by the collar of his coat and glance at him to make sure he was dead. "You were one tough son of a bitch to find." She then slid the rope off of her arm and dragged the body to the tree that she had jumped out of.

"Um... miss?" Zelda inquired again as Guinevere sat Wilhelm's body down in front of the tree and began to wrap the rope around him and the tree trunk. "You're tying him to the tree? Why?"

Guinevere kneeled down to tightened the knots and sighed. "Do you ever stop talking?"

Zelda's eyes widened in shock at the response. "I-I-I..."

"See, there you go again. You're doing that thing where you open your mouth and sound comes out. With a mouth like that on you, you're going to get yourself in trouble someday." Guinevere scolded as she stood up and looked over at Zelda. "And someday somebody won't have a clean shot to take at your attacker and you will end up dead."

Zelda was in awe of the bounty hunter, who was also her distant cousin. She knew her last comment about somebody having a clean shot was about what had just happened. Wilhelm had left himself open for a moment when he pulled the dagger back, giving the bounty hunter a quick moment to strike. _How could someone have so little fear and respect?_

"Listen girly, I only saved you because I needed Wilhelm captured. And if I let the Queen of Hyrule get murdered I would be in a lot of trouble, therefore I let you live." Guinevere explained as she inched closer to Zelda.

Zelda looked at her distant cousin in amazement. Guinevere was calm and collected and actually, very pretty. She could have easily blended with the upper class snobs that surrounded Zelda on a daily basis, not that she ever would want to.

"Why are you tying him to a tree? Aren't you going to take him back to town?" Zelda asked as Guinevere looked down on her.

Guinevere grinned a bit and avoided the question. "You know, I haven't seen you since you were just a little kid."

Zelda looked at Guinevere strangely. She could clearly remember the days she spent in the castle teaching Zelda, it seemed. But all the same, Guinevere was beating around the bush. "What are you talking about?"

"You were like a little sister to me, and I valued that above all else." Guinevere's eyes dulled as she got lost in thought. "Then your father decided to kick us all out!"

Guinevere turned her back on Zelda and produced a piece of grass from her cloak. She blew on it and it whistled like a musical instrument. A large brown bird swooped down from the sky and landed on her arm.

"What are you doing?" Zelda asked.

"Sending notice to Castle Town that I have captured Wilhelm and that he is ready for collection." Guinevere sighed as he put a small, rolled up piece of paper in the hawk's talons.

"You _killed _Wilhelm." Zelda corrected.

Guinevere sighed and rolled her eyes as she launched the brown hawk into the skies towards Castle Town. "I do not kill, I extinguish."

Zelda felt incredibly small and worthless when she stood near Guinevere. Though Guinevere had said very little to her thus so far, she made Zelda feel like she was unworthy of her presence or her time.

"The people I extinguish are nothing more than flames that have grown wild and need to be dealt with. Most of them would be killed upon their arrival in Castle Town. I save them the time." Guinevere explained as she watched the hawk fly into the skyline. "That is the way of the hunt, like it or not."

"You're some kind of Angel of Mercy or something?" Zelda snapped, not understanding Guinevere's stance. "I bet-

"Bet what? Our common ancestor would not be proud of me? He would not condone what I do?" Guinevere hissed. "Well save it. I've heard it all before, _cousin_."

"So you know..." Zelda mumbled.

Guinevere jeered. "Of course I do! I'm not an idiot. For example, you and I have the same eye shape."

Zelda looked into Guinevere's green eyes, trying to make the connection. She did indeed have similar eyes when it came to the shape. Some said the Hero of Twilight had the eyes of beast. They were soft but also alert and intense. Though they had different eye colours, Zelda could see the resemblance. Other than this, she and Guinevere appeared to be opposites in every other sense of the word.

Zelda looked down at her muddied feet in shame. She tried to remember the kind and happy teen that had helped her learn how to ride a horse and how close she felt to her. Guinevere was like a sister, but now she completely disregarded Zelda.

"I don't have time to play 'family reunion'. I am a very busy woman. So if you don't mind, I will be on my way." Guinevere stated firmly.

"Does it not bother you that you're leaving me here!?" Zelda balled her fists in a sudden burst of anger. Zelda had never been spoken too in this fashion before, and she knew she could have Guinevere sentence to death for this. Guinevere knew this too, but she also knew that Zelda didn't have the nerve to send her to the gallows. She knew Zelda was far more sentimental than she could ever be.

The bounty hunter looked at the young queen in annoyance. "I do not care who you are, I do not care what you are and I do not care what I may have meant to you when you were a child. You mean nothing to me, kiddo, and I do not need you around me. You are bad luck. Now get lost."

Zelda felt her heart sink in her chest. It was like having a lifelong hero turn out to be nothing but a bumbling drunk. She was disappointed and upset by her distant cousin's harsh words. "Why are you like this?"

"The world does strange things to people, majesty."

Zelda raised an eyebrow at the oddball answer as she finally grabbed the Hero of Twilight's bow off the ground.

"I am wasting my time here with you!" Guinevere barked. "I need to be in Ordon."

"Wait! I'm going there too! Let's go together!" Zelda exclaimed as she tried to flag down one of the royal, stray, black horses.

Guinevere was trying not to laugh. "You must be joking."

"No, I'm doing official visits." Zelda frowned a bit. "I plan on seeing my royal duty through to the end as well."

"How noble." Guinevere cackled loudly "HAHAHA! Now hear this! Little Princess Zelda has become a queen and is now trying to repair the royal reputation! That's cute! What do you want to do in Ordon? Swimming lessons with pumpkins?"

Zelda's face was troubled with astonishment. "You're from Ordon, yet you're making fun of it?"

Guinevere straightened her face up a bit after she stopped her jesting. "You are not coming with me."

Zelda grabbed hold of the reigns of the nearby black horse and tried to mount it side-saddle. "I'll follow you even if you say not to."

Guinevere moaned. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"I'm not traveling alone!" Zelda barked.

Guinevere pointed to the horizon. "Keep going that way and you will eventually reach the Faron barracks for Hyrule's knights. Get some help there."

"I told you, I'm not traveling alone. It's too dangerous and stupid."

"You're difficult." Guinevere sulked a bit with her arms crossed. "Fine! Come with me, majesty! Follow me to the ends of the Earth! Do as you please! I have no intention of returning to the castle any time soon, just so you know."

"What about your reward for Wilhelm?"

"I'll collect it whenever I'm ready." Guinevere then whistled for her horse to come running. She mounted the grey steed and scowled a bit at Zelda. "Try to keep up, kiddo."

"I was taught by the best. I don't think I'll have a problem, _Lady Guinevere_." Zelda stated as she adjusted the quiver on her back.

Guinevere tried to hide her grin as she took off on her horse and the young monarch followed suit.

* * *

**Review it! Go vote! Go to the washroom! Do what you gotta do, my pretties! I was saving this update for later, but I REALLY wanted to show it to you! Don't you feel special?**


	31. Cold Hearts

**Act 31: **_**Cold Hearts**_

Snowpeak, next to the desert it was known as one of Hyrule's most lethal of territories. Many foolish brave had come to chart the towering mountains and the frigid ice caves that cradled the snowy plains like a violent newborn baby. Few had succeeded. Many had lost their lives to things like hypothermia, malnutrition, falling through the ice and avalanches.

When Zelda's father, Gengo, was a teen, he would often go skiing at Snowpeak with his brother. Of course after a small avalanche claimed the life of their guide, the royal family forbid any more recreational activities to take place in the mountains for anyone in Hyrule. This of course put a halt to the Hylian Games, a sporting event that happened every five years where many competed for titles.

There were still small poles with tattered, coloured flags staked in the ground. They marked the old ski paths for the Hylian Games. They were long forgotten and left to decay in the frosty winds. But they were not the only thing that was decaying in the glacial roars of the snowy terrain. There was a body, the body of an explorer, frozen and face down in the snow banks. Whoever they were, they were preserved by the ice cold setting. It was as if Snowpeak did not want the world to forget about the explorer, and therefore displayed her victims like trophies by keeping their corpses preserved long after their souls left their bodies.

Link, our young hero, had only begun to traverse the terrain. He was already struggling with breathing in the crisp mountain air that gripped his lungs and froze the hairs in his nostrils. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Hyrule did experience winter, but it had never been as harsh as the year round winter wonderland that was Snowpeak.

Link was ill prepared to battle the location. His tunic and chainmail did not keep warmth in his body as well as he had expected. His green cap did not even keep his head warm; it just sat prettily on his head like a diva and did nothing more than show off by blowing in the cold winds.

His boots had poor traction. He would slip and would often fall to his knees and do a face plant in the snow. His cheeks were rosy red as all feeling had escaped them, along with many other parts of his body. His whole being was frostbiten and numb.

But you see, Link's mind was not set on frozen unmentionables in his nose, the irritating numbness in his toes, or even the annoying stinging on his red, pointed ears. No, his thoughts were on Mihari, or Ghirahim. Whatever the conniving devil's name was, Link's mind was on him!

Ralis had told Link much, and relit the fire in Link's soul to serve the magician his comeuppance. Mihari, Ghirahim, they were the same, and he been floating around the royal family for too long. Link wanted to break the never ending chain. By doing so, he would save his friend, Zelda, the monarch, and her successors from the demon's bane.

_I will get you Ghirahim! You will not pester Zelda's family anymore! You will not frame anymore kitchen boys! You will not get away with murder! _Link tumbled around a bit in the snow, as his mind fixed in on the magician. _Zelda's smart, so she will eventually find out who Mihari is, I wouldn't be surprised if she had figured it out already. Zelda... hang in there!_

Zelda, Ghirahim, Zelda, Ghirahim, Link's thoughts ping-ponged between the two. Thinking of Zelda made his cheeks burn a bit, making them less cold. He thought about how Zelda always smelled very nice; like strawberries or a patch of wild flowers, or even a mix of both. Why Link just remembered these things at this moment in time, I do not know. Call it love, call it lust, call it teenage hormones, whatever you call it, when Link had it bad for Zelda, he had it **bad**. Absences made the heart grow fonder for Link. There was even a moment when he hoped that Zelda had not forgotten about him, as if that would be the death of him.

Thinking of Ghirahim made his body burn in anger, heating himself up even more. But the thought of Zelda in Ghirahim's clutches gave Link the greatest burn up of all. He dug his boots into the snow a little more, stood a little taller and moved a little faster. Once he was finished his business at Snowpeak, he would rally the outlaws in the desert and then storm Hyrule Castle and take Ghirahim down. Well, that was the little fantasy Link had cooked up in his head using adrenaline, raging teenage hormones and anger. It would probably play out much differently than that.

* * *

It was almost noon hour in the Faron Province where the unlikely pair of a young queen and a bounty hunter trekked through the bushes on horseback. Guinevere led the way and only kept the horse's pace at a slow walk for some reason. Zelda trailed behind nervously and would occasionally look up at the canopy the trees made with their overlapping limbs.

"You can't tell anyone who you are." Guinevere stated as she and Zelda traversed through the Faron Woods. "It would be better that way."

Zelda looked down from her long infatuated gaze with the trees above. "What? Why? Would I embarrass you?"

Guinevere scowled a bit. "You'll cause a ruckus. No knights, no yes-men, no ladies-in-waiting. Look at you, bruised and muddy. You don't look like a monarch, you look like a bum."

Zelda looked at her once snow-white dress and gave her distant cousin a lopsided grin. "I suppose you're right. This is no respectable way to see a monarch."

"Glad you see the light, majesty." Guinevere yawned a bit. "Until further notice you will be known as Helen from the Hylia Hamlet. You are my apprentice in training. As my apprentice you do everything I say when I say it. You are as loyal as a dog and you adore me like one as well."

"What?" Zelda shook her head at the ludicrous facade. "No way!"

Guinevere looked back at Zelda with a very serious look on her face. "Well, you can explain to them why the Queen of Hyrule looks like she just rolled in from a mud wrestling competition."

Zelda thought about her reputation for a moment. She had no clue as to what the Ordonians thought of her, so she thought it would be best to play it safe. She decided that she would have to go along with Guinevere's idea for the good of the reputation of the monarchy.

"So, tell me, how long have you been bounty hunting?" Zelda cleared her throat, trying to start a conversation. "What's it like? Is it hard?"

Guinevere groaned a bit as she kept her gaze fixed on the narrow dirt paths ahead. "This isn't an interview."

Zelda dropped her eyes in defeat, a bit embarrassed by her cousin's reply. The Queen of Hyrule could be belittled by a bounty hunter. That was something Zelda's power crazed ancestors would have been rolling in graves over.

A part of Zelda wanted to stand up to Guinevere, but another part of her held her back. Zelda was genuinely afraid of Guinevere for one reason or another. Guinevere was a mean talker and had proven that she could do harm.

"What happened back there?" Zelda asked. "I mean, all those bandits and my knights... they all dropped dead."

Guinevere was silent as the horses clicked their hooves on the dirt path in the woods.

"Lady Guinevere?" Zelda nervously picked a little piece of mud out of her hair.

"Wilhelm and I shot them all." Guinevere divulged. "I was going for the bandits, but he was gunning for everyone."

Zelda nodded a bit. "So you're a quick shot, eh?"

"You better believe it, majesty."

"I wish you taught me how to shoot, not Gregor." Zelda giggled a bit, trying to win some trust.

Guinevere coughed a bit. "My cousin Gregor is a fool and would have been a poor teacher. I'm surprised you haven't shot your eye out yet."

"Well he was a lot nicer than you are." Zelda mumbled.

The bounty hunter stopped her horse and turned to look at the young monarch. "Well, I'm sorry that I'm not here to be your friend. I'm sorry that I'm not bowing down to some sheltered little girl who has no clue about the ways of the world. You have no idea about how this world works! You've never suffered like most people! You've been waited on hand and foot as soon as you were conceived. What would you ever know about being a leader when you yourself have never experienced the things your followers have?"

Zelda's jaw dropped. She knew what her textbook reply should have been, but she couldn't say it. She couldn't say the classic line of 'do you realize who you are talking to?', because she thought Guinevere was somewhat correct. How could Zelda ever know what it meant to lead a group of people when she didn't know anything about them?

"Just because someone in your family was a somebody, doesn't make you special. You have to do that yourself." Guinevere explained harshly. "For example, you and I have a certain _someone_ in both of our family lines. Just because a certain _someone_ in your family couldn't keep her hands on her own guy doesn't make-

"Hang on a second! What do you mean '_hands on her own guy'_?" Zelda interrupted. She was actually offended by Guinevere's claim. "They loved each other!"

Guinevere fixed her formfitting tunic's collar. "Is that what they tell you? Zelda the Sixth was nothing more than a selfish home wrecker who was never called out for her deeds!"

Zelda raised her eyebrows as she felt her temper flare up a bit. "No!"

"Yes!" Guinevere barked. "Sure, they were together first but she knew, _**she knew**_ that they could never legally be together! So why did she even pursue it? Then when _he_ was happily married _she_ had to keep pawing him. Then a lovely little miracle happened, and that little miracle belonged to _him_."

Zelda mouthed 'lovely little miracle' and then realize that Guinevere was speaking of the birth of Laertes. "How do you know all this?"

"My great grandmother was the hero's eldest daughter. She found out **everything** and only told her children, and they told their children and they told theirs." Guinevere explained. "But I'm sure you know that."

"She was most likely angry and upset about her father's infidelities. She probably felt like he had betrayed and lied to everyone. So she probably made up all that stuff about Zelda the Sixth being a home wrecker and whatnot." Zelda tried to draw some conclusions, much to Guinevere's resentment. "From what I have read, I believe Zelda the Sixth was very kind and selfless woman. She even had your family elevated to unofficial nobility out of sheer favouritism and regret. It was my father who kicked you out! My father was an idiot! He treated everyone poorly, including me. My whole life I felt like I had to prove myself worthy to him because he wanted a son, but he had me instead. I still feel insecure about everything I do just because of him! Now you can stand there and tell me everything you think you know about me, about my family and about life and about this world we live in, but you'll never accomplish anything by speaking. That's why I am out here with you; I want to learn to be a better ruler. Maybe one day I won't think of myself as some inadequate child who was born into a life of luxury and power."

Guinevere's eyes widened in surprise at Zelda's long winded reply. She was silent as she guided her horse on foot, but then she spoke up a bit. "You talk too much."

Zelda knew this was the bounty hunter's way of admitting defeat without losing her pride. Guinevere had dropped the argument after Zelda gave her a piece of her mind. Zelda felt quite accomplished and proud of this achievement. Zelda had silenced one of Hyrule's most feared women, and she didn't even faint! Best of all, Guinevere did not try to kill her!

* * *

Eventually, after traveling in awkward silence, Zelda and Guinevere reached the outskirts of Ordon Village. There were homes and little specialty shops that sat humbly in the meadow. Ordon had expanded its boarders through the quiet Ordon Woods and all the way to the swaying rope bridge that hung across the deep canyon that lead into Faron Woods.

The sign, 'WELCOME TO ORDON VILLAGE' towered overhead, like a threshold, and a narrower sign hung down with rope from it that read in big white Hylian letters, 'THE PROUD HOMETOWN OF THE HERO OF TWILIGHT'. And from that hanging sign, another sign hung down that read 'WELCOME QUEEN ZELDA' in red Hylian text. Zelda knew she was in the right place the moment she set eyes on the peaceful village.

"Oh Guinevere you're home!" some of the villagers would exclaim.

Guinevere would merely nodded or send a small, short lived wave to whoever was addressing her. No smile or comment, she simply acknowledged everyone for a moment and returned to her task.

Guinevere led the young queen down the main road, past all the humble homes, past the Ordon Spring, and eventually to an open clearing. In the clearing there was only a tree house and what appeared to be practice targets hung up on trees. It was quiet and empty, but at the same time it felt homey and comforting, as if the Hero of Twilight's soul still lurked and happily embraced each visitor that walked by his home.

Zelda smiled a bit, as she had read about the Hero of Twilight's original home in Zelda VI's journal and in the letters she had received. She was happy to be able to finally see the structure with her own eyes.

According to an entry in Zelda VI's journal, before she or he were married to their respected spouses, she had once snuck into Ordon and surprised the hero. Yes, the old diary had proved to be some good late night reading material for the young Zelda. She got more of a thrill out of the old personal notebook than any of the hundreds of books she had previously read. She tried to remind herself that she needed to finish the Hero of Twilight's last letter to Zelda VI when she returned home; no matter how sad it ended up being.

"Guinevere!" called a young man from the path that lead deeper into the village, where most of the flooding had occurred.

Guinevere perked her head up a bit, as her neutral expression turned into a small scowl. "Oh... Hector."

"Who?" Zelda inquired, interested in who the young man was.

"Don't talk to him. Let me handle it." Guinevere mumbled before the young man got close enough to hear her.

Hector was a tall and handsome individual who had a sword sheathed on his back and slung over his right shoulder. He had sunny, blond hair that hung in ringlets and happy, green eyes. They were much like Guinevere's, except they were cheerful, not intimating. His skin was fair and it had a special, warm glow to it. Hector's clothes were simple, village garments; above the ankle brown boots, black pants, a dirty, white tank top underneath a brown, long-sleeved sweater that had green patches on it from constant repair.

"Well, if it isn't Ordon's Gold Boy, Hector." Guinevere moaned as she dismounted her horse and faced the young man.

"Well, if it isn't Hyrule's Number One Bounty Hunter, Guinevere, my sister." Hector teased.

Guinevere crossed her arms and then rolled her eyes at Hector. "Grow up."

Hector stuck his tongue out at his older sister and then looked over her shoulder to see Zelda. "Who's this? Are you bringing work home with you?"

Zelda widened her eyes as she noticed the young man looking at her curiously. "Uh... I... um."

"That's my new apprentice, Helen." Guinevere snarled as she glared at Hector.

Hector twisted his curly hair a bit as he continued to stare at the young queen. "Another apprentice? Mercy me Gwyn, how many of them do you burn through in a year? Do you have insurance on them or something?"

"It's not my fault they all go and die." Guinevere scoffed as she began to look into her black cloak for something.

Hector scratched his chin a bit as he approached Zelda with caution. "Why are you all muddy? Are you a mud wrestling champ or something like that?"

"I'm sure you'd know if she was." Guinevere taunted. "Have you been keeping your nose out of the brothel, little brother?"

Hector blushed a bit after being called out. "I'll have you know that I have been brothel free for a year and a half."

Guinevere nodded as she produced a hefty wallet from her cloak. "Aye, so you're still going to the mud wrestling ring?"

Zelda looked at the siblings in awe. Guinevere was calling her brother out on all of his guilty pleasures. Of course Zelda was against prostitution and the illegal mud wrestling federation, so it came as a bit of a shock when Hector seemed to frequent both institutions.

"How many men have you killed since our last meeting, sister?" Hector barked, trying to fight back.

"Oh, you know me Hector, I don't want to bring work home with me. So I won't say anything." Guinevere sighed as she handed the wallet to her little brother. "This is for the tavern for any repairs they need. Give it to mum and don't lose it."

Hector undid the little piece of string around the wallet's mouth and opened the wallet. His eyes bulged out of his head. "That's a lot of money! Where did you-

"Cut Throat Cressinda and Jabber Jaws Jerry proved to be worth the trouble." Guinevere smiled a bit.

"Of course." Hector rolled his eyes as he placed the wallet in his sweater. "But aren't you going to see mum and dad? They've been awful worried about you, ya know."

"I'm not going there right away. You take Helen to the tavern for now, and I'll be along later." Guinevere explained as she pointed at Zelda.

Zelda dismounted her horse finally and looked Hector in the eye. "Hi."

"Hey there." He smiled and then winked.

Guinevere gave her brother a toothy scowl as she smacked him on the back. "Don't flirt with her. It's for your own good, trust me. You'll never forgive yourself, and you'll never look a woman the same way ever again."

Hector nervously laughed a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"Right. Helen, go with my brother." Guinevere ordered.

Zelda nodded, but did not speak as Hector extended a chivalrous arm for her to take hold of.

* * *

Link had fainted face down in the snow. He felt as if he had been wandering hopelessly in circles for hours, trying to find something in the miles upon miles of snowy wasteland. But the environment had gotten the better of him, and it had made him its slave.

In the bowels of Link's mind, in the world of dreams that he had escaped to when his face hit the ground, he saw a blurry apparition. The apparition spoke.

"Link... wake up!" the apparition's voice cried out. "You must get up! Hyrule needs you!"

It was dark in Link's dream, the only light emitted from the spirit. It was a hot pink light that seemed to burn like a smokeless flame. The voice was monotone and emotionless, yet it carried a form of urgency on its breath.

"Who are you?" Link murmured.

"It is destiny that we will meet very soon. All will be revealed at that time." The voice divulged. "Until then, wake and press onward, Hero Chosen by the Gods."

The vision faded and Link's eyes snapped open in the snow. He was back in reality. "Hero Chosen by the what?"

He sat up on his knees and felt the frozen water flakes beneath him and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Who is this? It's gotta be the same person that I saw in my other dream. The person the Faron Few spotted in the desert watching over us. I know it's you!"

Link pulled himself out of the small rut his body had made in the snow and then wrapped his arms around himself in a hug to maintain body heat. Under his clothes he could feel his skin turning incredibly white like the snow as his teeth chattered. His hair was frozen on the ends and he was pretty sure he was getting an ear infection.

He moved forward a few feet before stumbling back into the snow. Like a confused phoenix, he rose up from the piles of frozen water crystals and would again march onward a few more feet before falling down again. He repeated this process for a number of minutes before he fell for a final time and did not get back up.

"Th-th-this is p-p-p-p-pointless. I'm g-g-g-going to d-die out here." He stuttered as he assumed the fetal position in the small pocket of snow he had fallen into. "I'm so c-c-c-cold that I c-c-can't even feel my tongue anymore. It's all ov-over."

Link closed his eyes, trying to find peace with his condition. He tried to accept death as a friend, and only hoped it would come quickly. "I'm s-s-s-sorry Ze-Zelda..."

He felt as if the cold air had wrapped its wicked hand around his heart and was clenching it tightly, trying to make it burst like a balloon.

Link then heard boots crunching in the snow nearby and believed it to be the grim reaper coming to collect his soul. But it was not so.

"Hey you!" a familiar girl's raspy voice called down at Link. "Sleeping on the job, I see."

Link's eyelids were frozen shut it seemed, but he still manage to pry them open and roll over to see a yeti looking down at him. He tried to scream, but no noise would leave his frozen, flabbergasted lips.

The yeti crossed its arms. "Calm down, kid, it's me, Piper. I'm not taking the mask off or I'll end up looking like you in a matter of minutes."

Link's mind raced back to when he met the strange girl in Zora's Domain. He remembered how rough she was, but yet she was still charming in some odd way.

Link then felt the girl in the yeti outfit wrap her gloved hands around the collar of his tunic and pull him out of the snow pocket and stand him on his feet to face her.

"Aye, you look like hell!" she laughed a bit. "I bet you've seen better days."

"N-not recently." Link managed to muttered.

"Well, today is your lucky day, pal. I was going to frisk your corpse for whatever goods you had on you, but when I saw you breathing and I realized you were a familiar face, I decided to give you a hand." Piper explained. "Now, I left my sled around here somewhere, so once I find it you can lay down and I'll haul you up to the cabin."

Link tried to smile, but his lips would not allow it. He was grateful that someone had found him before he froze to death and became yer another warning victim for those foolish enough that wished to trek through the snowy hills.

* * *

**Review it! Don't forget to vote on the poll on my profile page. As of today (March 3, 2013), there is a tie between two of the options. Please go and break the tie if you have not yet voted! There is a reason why the poll exists! **


	32. Welcome to Ordon

**Act 32: **_**Welcome to Ordon**_

"Wh-when her majesty comes home, we shall tell her our decision." One of the councilmen explained to Mihari. "I don't know how this is going to work. We've never had to do something even remotely like this before."

"Majesty is not the rightful heir! What must be done must be done!" Mihari scolded as he placed the diary and bundle of letters under his arm. "Beyond reasonable doubt, King Laertes the First was the bastard child of Queen Zelda the Sixth and the Hero of Twilight. As you know, illegitimate children do not qualify for the throne, yet old Zelda passed the boy off as if he was Erik's. Any heirs of Laertes are therefore illegitimate as well. Queen Zelda the Seventh, the great granddaughter of Laertes the First and the great, great granddaughter of Zelda the Sixth, has false blood."

"We get it!" one of the councilmen bellowed. "We'll kick her off the throne as soon as we've found a successor!"

Mihari's eyes were intense and angry as he watched the councilmen cower in fear. "Oh? And how long will that take?"

Each member of the council looked slightly different from the next, but being old men on the Senior Royal Council, they all had snow white beards that were trimmed in different fashions. Most of them wore small, rectangular glasses that their eyes peeked over like cheeky little children playing tag. They had black pointed caps and were all garbed in orange robes that were decorated with sashes, belts, buckles and doodads every which way. But though they looked slightly different, they all feared the same things and they all looked the same when that fear hit. They all feared Mihari.

"Um... I don't know yet. We haven't even started to-

"Well get started!" Mihari snapped as the roomed rocked and quaked again.

"Why are you so bent out of shape about this? Majesty is doing a fairly decent job at governing the country. She's certainly a step up from her father. She successfully does things her own way and needs little guidance to do so." One of the other councilmen with a 'v' shaped beard announced. "In fact, I wonder if this is just a big ploy to put her majesty out because _your_ selfish needs for power and control over the monarch are not being met, Mihari."

The magician bared his teeth and balled his fists angrily. "You insignificant little worm! How dare you speak to me like that! Do you not know who I am!? I am Lord Gh-

"Lord? You're no lord. You're just the old king's entertainment who has been lucky enough to have not been fired by the busy queen bee. Once she has less on her plate, she will deal with the staff list, Mihari."

Mihari was seething. The scared, cowardly councilmen had turned the tables. Though they were scared, they were loyal to the queen, even if some of them thought she was just a child. In the minds of the council, they were doing what was right.

* * *

Ordon Village, it was not what Zelda was expecting. In fact, it appeared that they had done some serious cleaning up of the village. Sandbags lined the river like small walls that were preventing the liquid invader from reaching the villagers. Though the ground was still mucky and overwatered, Ordon seemed to be doing alright.

"Don't be afraid of Guinevere. Don't let her push you around and tell you what to do." Hector stated as he guided Zelda through the depths of Ordon Village.

Zelda, who was going by the name Helen, looked at Hector with a sense of wonder on her face. "Why is she like that?"

"She's been like that for a while now. I'm just so accustomed to it; I sort of just block it out nowadays." Hector sighed. "When she told us she wanted to start bounty hunting, that's when we saw a change. When she left the village on a regular basis and would be gone for long periods of time, something changed."

"Oh?"

"She was once a very kind and happy person. She says the world does strange things to people, but I think that's a bunch of crap. If anything, I think she's done strange things to the world!" Hector continued. "Don't even think for a minute that we don't hear the stories about the _Green Eyed Snake_. We may live in hillbilly hell, but word does travel here. We know what she's done."

Zelda watched her muddied feet squish the waterlogged ground beneath them. Then she thought of another question to ask. "What do you think did it to her? You know, changed her."

Hector stopped walking for a moment as he ran his finger through his curly blond hair and looked skyward. He closed his eyes and then sighed heavily before replying. "She often spoke of going to Snowpeak, as if there is anything interesting about never ending miles of frozen wasteland and mountain ranges."

"Snowpeak you say?" Zelda's attention had been captured by the word.

Hector looked at Zelda curiously. "You interested in Snowpeak too?"

Zelda's eyes widened. "Not really."

Hector looked forward as he clicked his teeth with his tongue and nodded in acceptance. "Okay."

Zelda was surprised at how easily Hector dropped the subject. "That's it? You are okay with that? Really?"

Hector looked over at Zelda in surprise as his hair bounced to the side. He began to walk again. "Well, it's no business of mine. It is also extremely rude to question a lady."

"Well, thank you." Zelda smiled. It was one of the first times she had never been questioned about her answers.

"Thank you? Why do you say that? Are you from a culture where no one has any privacy or something?" Hector laughed at his own teasing joke.

"Well... almost." Zelda bit her lip as she realized that her life was exactly how Hector described it.

"Wow... sounds like jail." Hector chuckled a bit through his nose.

"You have no idea."

"Oh, come on. I'm sure... where did you say you were from again?"

"The Hylia Hamlet!"

"Right. As I was saying, I'm sure the Hylia Hamlet can't be _that_ bad. I mean, sure a bunch of earthy hicks with money live out there in sequester. But hey, it can't be like a jail!"

Zelda glanced at Hector. For a moment she had forgotten that she was not Zelda, Queen of Hyrule and its rebellious colonized realms, she was Helen of the Hylia Hamlet. Helen, some plain girl from a humble upbringing; the only daughter of Tao and Katrine. Tao was a former banker in Castle Town and Katrine was a seamstress. Both had moved to the hamlet shortly after they got married. This was the fictional family history that Zelda had told Hector about her life. It was not hard for Zelda to come up with the tale as it was something she had dreamt of when she was a child. When she was small, Tao and Katrine were her imaginary commoner parents. Whenever she played imagination games by herself (as she usually did), she would pretend to be a working class girl who had a working class family and would marry a working class man.

"So, you got a boyfriend, Miss. Helen?" Hector laughed a bit as he played with the sword on his back.

"Master Hector, are you flirting with me!?" Zelda swallowed hard, remembering that Hector was related to her. Sure, their blood relation was so diluted that they barely counted as family. But it was the simple knowledge that Hector was her cousin that made Zelda feel sick to her stomach.

Hector blushed and shook his head rapidly. "Oh no, it's not like that at all! I'm just curious because there are some real lookers around these parts that may try to make a pass at you once you're all cleaned up. You're fresh meat in Ordon, so everyone is going to take an interest in you."

"Everyone?" Zelda's heart filled with dread. What if someone recognized her? If one of the Ordonian crown representatives spotted her, then there would be trouble. Her cover would be blown if she was spotted by someone that had seen her in person before.

"Oh don't be shy Miss. Helen. Everybody knows everybody in Ordon; so when someone new comes along it's only natural that we get a little antsy. There's no need to be bashful. Everyone here is quite pleasant." Hector explained, trying to ease Zelda's fears. "This isn't Castle Town, ya know."

Zelda smirked a bit at his last quip. Ordon was definitely no Castle Town. Through the water filled paths and the marshy grasses one could see the humble homes built side by side. Though the village had been waterlogged, it kept a warm, welcoming air about itself.

As the pair crossed a bridge, Hector pointed over to a large building on the left. It appeared to have had some additions added onto it over the years. "That's the Ordon Tavern. It was my great, great, great grandpa's house. He was the mayor of Ordon back in the Twilight years."

"Oh, neat." Zelda nodded with a smile as she looked at the mural of Ordon's famed bounty hunters that lined the wall nearest the river. "Big supporters of bounty hunting I see."

Hector's proud grin faded. "Just because Guinevere treats everyone like garbage doesn't mean our parents love her any less. Any parent who is worth their salt supports their child, no matter how much they disagree with their child's practices."

"Your parents disagree with Guinevere's career choice?" Zelda raised an eyebrow.

"They never tried to stop her, but there was a silent disapproval." Hector sighed as he escorted Zelda up the wooden ramp that led to the front door. "The alcohol bar is closed right now. You're not allowed to drink before three here in Ordon, it's sort of an unwritten law. But the social bar is always open here."

"Another difference between Ordon and Castle Town?" Zelda joked a bit, recalling the reports of public drunkenness in Castle Town that she had read through a couple of weeks earlier.

Hector smiled at her as he turned the doorknob and swung the tavern door open. "Mom! Pop! Guinevere is home!"

Zelda followed the local hero into the surprisingly well lit pub. There were people of all shapes and sizes sitting at round tables chatting away happily, totally ignoring the fact that the Queen of Hyrule had just walked in, though she was unrecognizable.

A bit of smoke rose up through the air from tobacco pipes and self-rolled cigarettes. The poisonous smell made Zelda cough a bit. The smoke in the Ordon Tavern was not as thick and potent as it could be in the bars in Castle Town.

"Please use an ashtray, gentlemen!" A woman called from the back of the pub.

"Mom!" Hector called as he took Zelda's muddied hand and guided her through the jungle of tables.

"Oh, Hector darling! I'm back here, dear! I didn't hear you come in." the woman called from the back.

When Zelda got to the back of the pub, she saw that the woman was short, stocky, and middle-aged. She had short brown hair and happy green eyes. Her face was plump, like the rest of her body, and she reminded Zelda of one of the pastry chefs from the castle.

"Oh, who is this?" the woman smiled at Zelda.

"Guinevere's new pack mule." Hector replied. "Helen, this is my mother, Althea."

"Oh my... well... she is quite a dirty thing isn't she?" the woman laughed and then looked at Zelda with sympathy. "You poor thing. I bet my Guinevere has been running you ragged. I apologize for any misery she has caused you, and may cause you in the future. Please feel free to use the bath upstairs as you see fit."

"Thank you, ma'am." Zelda smiled. "I will not forget this kindness."

"There are rooms upstairs as well. Feel free to make room number five yours. They're all empty right now. My husband and I renovated and expanded the building ourselves. Can you believe that the Queen of Hyrule is going to be staying here in Ordon?" Althea was so happy about the last fact that she could barely contain her excitement. "Oh, I hope she's here soon!"

Zelda looked at the floor for a moment. "I'm sure she'll be here shortly, ma'am."

"I hope nothing bad has happened to that poor girl." Althea continued as she played with her short brown hair. "Oh, that would be the death of me if something happened to the queen."

"Why do you care so much?" Zelda raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Althea looked at Zelda curiously as she explained. "Well... I helped bring her into this world, and I was friends with her mother. So it's only natural that I care for my friend's daughter."

Zelda's jaw dropped open a bit. "You were friends with my-

"Mom! Don't go about telling people about your life! Especially that aspect. People don't need to know about that." Hector hushed as he interrupted Zelda.

Zelda barely knew her mother, so it was natural that she was surprised and a bit excited to find one of Queen Deidre's friends. Zelda had to stop herself from flanking Althea with questions about her mother. Zelda wanted to know the little things since Gengo had told his daughter very little about her mother. Was Deidre funny or serious? What kind of music did she like? Did she have any favourite foods? Was she athletic? What did she think of Mihari?

"Oh silly me, I'm talking your ear off, sweetpea." Althea giggled as she waved Zelda towards the stairs. "Go up there and on your left you'll find room number five. I'll have Mina bring you some clean clothes."

"Mina?" Zelda raised an eyebrow.

"My other daughter, she's also my eldest child. She works at the general store. I can get her to bring some new clothes over." Althea clarified.

"Where's dad?" Hector asked.

"Out helping Gawain pick mud out of the hooves of the goats."

Hector looked at Zelda. "Gawain is my older brother. He's the Big Kahuna of goat herding."

"Goat herding..." Zelda repeated. She recalled the Hero of Twilight had been a goat herder before he embraced his destiny. She found it interesting that his family was still into the practice.

"Yeah, he's a real farm boy." Hector laughed a bit.

Zelda nodded as she turned to face the staircase that led to the rooms upstairs. "If you don't mind, all this mud is starting to dry and it's getting kind of itchy."

Althea nodded back. "Oh go ahead, my dear. I can only imagine how uncomfortable you must be right now."

With that, Zelda headed up the pine staircase and towards the room Althea had graciously given to her.

"Welcome to Ordon, sweetheart!" Althea shouted up the staircase after Zelda.

The tavern's guests merely chuckled at Althea's usual outspoken sweetness. She wanted everyone to feel welcome, even if it meant disrupting the peace.

"Hector, go get Mina and tell her to bring some fresh clothes for our guest." Althea ordered. "She may not be a queen, but we might as well treat her that way. I mean, she's working with Guinevere, so she deserves a little special treatment for putting up with such abuse."

"I agree. But mum, something seems familiar about her, don't you agree?" Hector raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms. "She reminds me of someone I played with when I was a child."

Althea was sceptical as she gave her son a sarcastic stare. She whispered as she wiped down the counter with a rag, "When you were a child, we still worked in the castle. You were allowed to play with Princess Zelda and some other noble children. So unless you think we have an unescorted Queen Zelda upstairs, than I think you have our guest confused with someone else, hun."

Hector ran his fingers through his hair and sighed as he leaned on the counter. "I guess you're right."

"Mother knows best, dear." Althea smiled as he whipped her son in the arm with the rag. "No leaning on the counter, darling."

* * *

Piper had dragged Link on her sled all the way to a secluded cabin a mile or so away from where Link had fallen. It was a small, one roomed, log cabin that had only the necessities. There was a bunk bed in the right corner of the room with a medium sized wardrobe next to it. There was a small kitchen space on the left side of the room, next to the front door. There were a few bookshelves throughout the cabin that were lined with various pieces of literature. Then there was a table that could seat four covered in maps and pieces of a geometry set, as well as Link's hat and weapons. The cabin was lit by a stone fireplace that sat proudly in front of a regal, red rug.

Link sat on the rug shivering, with a blanket wrapped around his body. He knew he was getting sick, he could feel illness beginning to grip him.

"Thank you for saving me." Link murmured as he pulled the blue blanket tighter around his shoulders. "I owe you one."

"Damn straight you do." Piper groaned as she stabbed the cinders of the fire with a fireplace poker. "Babysitting you is going to put me back a few days of research."

"Yeti research, right?" Link glanced up at the rough girl who was still busily jabbing away at the fire. He felt the frozen tips of his hair beginning to thaw as the melt water ran down his cheek. He was still cold, despite sitting in a warm cabin.

"Yes, yeti research. I'm nearing contact. I can just feel it in my soul!" Piper exclaimed as she took one final poke at the fire.

"You're awful committed." Link cleared his throat as he began to look around at his surroundings. He saw some black and white pictographs hanging on the walls. One in particular jumped out at him though. It was a picture of a woman who looked a bit like Piper, wearing a fuzzy, white poncho. She was smiling and standing next to someone who was dressed in a similar fashion to Link. That's when it dawned on him. "Is that the Hero of Twilight with an ancestor of yours?"

Piper looked over her shoulder and at the pictograph in question. "Aye, that's my grandaunt, Ashei. She was the sister of my great, great granddad. Granddad was out of the country during the Twilight years, so he never got to meet the Hero of Twilight. That picture was taken during the hero's time with the Resistance. Neat, yeah?"

"Yeah, neat." Link smiled a bit at the picture.

Piper stood up and examined the picture more closely. She glanced back and forth between the picture and Link for a moment before speaking again. "Ya know... you kinda look like him. You know that, eh? That get up you're wearing doesn't help hide the resemblance. You guys related or something?"

"No, not that I know of. I was born in the slums of the castle so..." Link dropped his gaze to the floor. "I really have no family at all."

Piper nodded. "Orphans always make the best heroes. That's what Sir Shad's book said anyway."

"Sir Shad?"

"You don't know it? It's a classic!"

Link shook his head. Beads of melt water from his hair scattered onto the floor in a barrage.

"Well, here." Piper reached for a thick book with a red spine on a nearby bookshelf. She removed it from its tight confines between books with green and blue spines. She then flipped through it for a moment before closing it and throwing it at Link. "This is a signed copy, so be careful with it."

The book slammed down on the floor next to Link. "Talk about being careful."

"That should hold you over while I'm gone. After you finish that, I strongly recommend Zelda the Sixth's _Twilight Zone_, Sir Rusl's _All the Queen's Men, _King Laertes the First's _Son-Rise: Hyrule after the Twilight Hour,_ and Hena's _Itching for the Elusive Loch; a Story of Fishing Redemption_, just because it is a damn good book." Piper pointed at the different titles on the wall. "Zelda the Sixth liked using big words in her book, so be aware of that, Jack."

Link flipped through the book Piper had thrown at him. His eyes almost popped out of his head once he realized how long the book actually was, and how small the print actually was, and how many big words there actually were. "You're leaving me?"

"Once your little condition stabilizes, yes, I'll leave you here. You can have the run of the place." Piper nodded. "King of the camp!"

"You can't be serious!" Link blurted out as he dropped the blue blanket to the floor. "I have things to do too ya know!"

"You're sick. Your body needs time to fight." Piper sighed. "_There are no super men, only people who believe that they can be extraordinary for a moment_. Page three hundred and six in Sir Shad's book."

"You read a lot... Piper."

"Damn straight." Piper gloated. "Oh... my name isn't Piper, by the way. It's Ashli."

"Why did you give me a fake name in the first place?" Link sneezed as he wrung out his wet hair that was now dripping with melt water.

Ashli widened her eyes. "Do you know how many people have it out for me and my research? If I told you that I was Ashli from Snowpeak, you could have gone and told a bunch of people about me being in Zora's Domain!"

Link watched as Ashli pulled a chair out from behind the table and sat down and stared at Link's belongings. "Looks like the Zoras took good care of you. Custom sword and shield that are only given out to a select few. My, aren't you the lucky one."

"King Ralis really liked me for some reason." Link laughed a bit before coughing.

Ashli's eyes were dull as she examined the specially crafted, round, blue shield. "These shields are very rare as they are most difficult to smith. I'm surprised you received one of these."

"As I said, the king liked me." Link shrugged.

"Probably because you look like _him_." Ashli rolled her eyes and sighed. "_Him_ being, the Hero of Twilight, Ralis' dear friend. He probably got nostalgic and sentimental when he looked at you and your clothes and decided to bless you with some gifts."

Link looked at the ground and at the damp spots on the carpet and wooden floor that he had made with his wet clothing. He didn't like the idea of being honoured because he looked like someone important. Link, like most people in the world, wanted to be important in his own right. He didn't want to be celebrated because of someone else's accomplishments. But alas, Link was yet to realize how important he really was.

"So, what's your name?" Ashli looked cleared her throat as she ran her hand down her chin.

"Um... Link." Link replied, surprised that it had taken the yeti researcher so long to ask him such a basic question. "I was wrongly convicted for the murder of the king and Queen Zelda banished me. Long story short, I'm here looking for Guinevere's secrets."

"Guinevere." Ashli growled a bit as she repeated the name. She completed ignored the other parts of Link's reply. "To hell with Guinevere and her bloody lineage! No one gives a damn where your blood comes from. It's all about being able to back it up. She doesn't deserve to share the Hero of Twilight's blood! She's no woman of honour; she is a cold blooded killer who has no mercy for life. She has corrupted my research again and again and again! Her and her stupid escapades are startling the yetis and endangering them, their environment and especially, me."

Link raised his eyebrows. "What kind of escapades?"

"Sweet Din, if I knew, I would tell you. I'd tell you so you can go and sabotage her. Whatever she's been doing, she's been causing a lot of avalanches." Ashli groaned. "She goes into this tunnel in the side of some mountain and she will emerge from it days later. Winds blow colder out of that tunnel. It's like an emotional vacuum; it sucks up all the joy in the world. I don't dare enter it."

This all sounded very familiar to Link. Another member of the Hero of Twilight family was into some mysterious practice in some dark mysterious place that emitted cold air. It may have been a coincidence, but to Link, it just seemed too unlikely.

"Can you show me where this tunnel is?" Link questioned frantically, as if he knew that he needed to go there.

Ashli grabbed a toothpick out of a small container on the table and began to run it across her front teeth. "You got a death wish, yeah? If Guinevere catches you in there, game over, Jack."

"She wouldn't kill me." Link shook his head as he snorted back the unmentionables in his nose.

"Wanna bet? Blimey, she'd skin you alive and not think twice about it." Ashli scoffed. "Don't doubt what she can and can't do. _When one has a heart of ice, much like walking on ice, they are unsafe and unpredictable_. Page forty seven in Zelda the Sixth's book."

"You are too well read, Ashli." Commented Link. This trait reminded him of how Zelda liked to read and how she would often eat her lunch and tell him about the latest book she had read. Ashli, like Zelda, appeared to have a lot of alone time, so reading was probably an easy escape.

"Perhaps you just don't read enough." Ashli smiled. This was true as well. Link often felt somewhat uneducated compared to Zelda because he had only read a few books in his lifetime, and the sheer level of the material Zelda was reading was mind boggling.

Link looked back to the red book on the floor and grinned. "So, what else is there to do around here, other than reading?"

Ashli shrugged as she pointed at a deck of cards on the windowsill. "Well, you can play Klondike. It's a good, single player card game. I don't have a lot of visitors, so I usually play that when I'm waiting for a storm to pass."

"No pets?"

"I had a dog, Rusty. Lost him in a snow storm about a year ago. He's probably a pup-sicle by now." Ashli chuckled a bit at her own remark. "So it's just me! Only other person who comes up here is Guinevere. We don't interact much, as you can probably tell."

"Do you two cross paths much?" Link asked.

"I've spoken to her a few times. It's no honour, believe me. She's very... secretive and suspicious. She doesn't talk much, but she speaks to you like you are dirt and she is an immortal goddess." Ashli groaned. "She thinks she owns Snowpeak for goodness sake!"

Link coughed a bit as he slid the blue blanket back over his shoulders. "Well... I need to at least check out this cave you were talking about. Can you tell me where it is?"

Ashli gave Link a very grave stare of disbelief. "I don't know you very well, Jack, but I like you. And because I like you, I will not tell you were the cave is."

"My name isn't Jack. I told you, my name is Link." Link sighed as he looked down at his left, gloved hand and remembered the strange Triforce marking that had appeared on it while he was in the chamber under the Arbiter's Grounds. "Please tell me. There might be something I can do to help your cause."

"Like what?"

Link looked up at Ashli with hope in his eyes. "This all sounds really familiar to me. And if it is the same sort of evil that I encountered before, than I think I know what I can do."

Ashli stood up from her chair in shock as she flailed her arms open. "Wait, you're telling me that you've seen this before? What are you? Some sort of vagabond hero who solves problems wherever the wind takes him?"

"No. I just... I knew Guinevere's cousin, Gregor, and he was after the same sort of thing. A chamber full of treasure. Except, it wasn't really treasure, it was a source of evil." Link explained. "I... eradicated it or something."

Ashli raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Oh-ho-ho! I see. You think because you look like the Hero of Twilight that you suddenly have the Midas touch." Ashli crossed her arms as she began to pace the room. "Well, let me tell you something, Jack, I kind of look like my grandaunt, Ashei, but I'm nearly as good as her when it comes to yeti research. If I was half as good as she was, maybe we'd finally have a yeti in captivity to study! But guess what? I'm not her, and I'll never be that good. You aren't even related to the hero, and you think you're some sort of _chosen one_?"

Link gasped a bit. "No, it's not like that at all! I just... I can't say what happened exactly. And I've had these weird dreams where a voice is telling me that I am some sort of _chosen one_!"

There was silence. Only the howls of the blitzing winds outside of the cozy cabin cracked the stillness. Ashli looked out the window at the blowing snow that flew violently every which way. Link then realized what he had said, the raspy voiced girl probably thought he was crazy and wished to throw him out on his head into the snow.

"Are you some kind of nut?" Ashli jeered.

Link perked his head up. "N-NO! I'm telling the truth!"

"Fine... it's your funeral. I'll show you were the tunnel is once your health is in order." Ashli sighed.

But before Link could thank the yeti researcher, a loud, distance roar rocked the cabin to its core. Link fell backward and gently bumped the back of his head on the wooden planks that made up the cabin's floor.

Ashli's pupils dilated, as if she was embracing a more primitive part of herself. "Not again!"

* * *

**Review it! The future story poll is running a very close race right now (March 12, 2013). It's ridiculously close! If you have not yet voted, cruise over to my profile and check the poll out. Big thank you to those who have voted!**


	33. Entry Fi

_(A/N: I have recently purchased Twilight Princess for the Wii. I'm not sure why I bought it, as I **was** saving for Tomb Raider and Far Cry 3, and I already have the game on Gamecube. I think it was an impulse collector purchase. I also wished to experience the game in the format that most people played it in. I am about three hours into a new game, and I am incredibly frustrated with this flipped world. It has been three hours of nonstop swearing on my part. What was once on the left is now on the right. EVERYTHING I KNOW IS WRONG! The hell with it! I'm going back to the Gamecube! –Infamous 3/16/13)_

* * *

**Act 33: **_**Entry Fi**_

The doors to the stuffy conference room swung open as two older men stumbled in. Mihari and the council stood at attention in surprise as they saw it was Percy and Carmine, the men Zelda had put in charge of the kingdom while she was away. They were out of breath and appeared to be incredibly troubled by something.

"What the hell is going on here?" Mihari barked. "Can't you drunken codgers see that we are in the middle of a very important meeting?"

"Her-her majesty... it's..." Percy gasped and panted.

"Out with it!" shouted one of the councilmen.

"They found her security team and her lady-in-waiting, along with some outlaws, all slaughtered in Faron Province!" Carmine exclaimed. "No body of her majesty has been found! We assume she has been kidnapped!"

"Kidnapped!" repeated several of the councilmen.

"By the gods!" another councilman called out in shock. "Who found them?"

"Some patrolling knights saw her carriage was stationary and decided to take a closer look to see if there was a problem. Apparently there was a big problem and they were all too late." Carmine explained.

Percy was hysterical but he managed to murmur out some key facts. "Wilhelm of Kakariko was found dead and tied to a tree. Good Lady Guinevere captured him. We don't know if these events happened around the same time. We do not want to jump to conclusions, but, some of the investigators believe Guinevere has kidnapped her majesty!"

Mihari's eyes were like untamed animals as they widened in disbelief. "Not possible!"

"Lady Gwyn would never do something like that!" called out one of the councilmen nearest Mihari.

"I don't know. The bounty hunting business has been tough lately. The ransom for her majesty could be huge! Guinevere is quite smart, so I'm sure she would have figured this out for herself already." Another councilman moaned hopelessly.

Mihari watched as turmoil unfolded in the conference room. He didn't like it. He didn't like it because he had no part in it. Mihari _always_ had to have a hand in the troublesome cookie jar.

"What are we going to do!?" cried Percy. "Majesty is missing! What will we tell the people? How will we find her?"

_This is most troublesome. This was not in my plans at all. Think, Ghirahim, think of a way to use this to your advantage._ Mihari bit his lip as he tried to cook up a new scheme. Within minutes he had a most deliciously wicked idea. "SILENCE!"

Everyone in the conference room stopped their banter and looked at the magician in awe.

"Majesty is missing! We mustn't sit here and banter like a bunch of hysterical schoolgirls! We must act now, gentlemen!" Mihari dramatically raised his hand in the air. "We must employ the best trackers in the country and have them hunt the young queen down! We have not a moment to spare! For all we know that blood thirsty wench, Guinevere, could be plunking out her majesty's beautiful hair, one strand at a time!"

The council looked at Mihari and seemed to agree with him. Zelda needed to be found immediately and every moment they wasted, in their minds, was one less moment Zelda could be alive. Mihari had voiced a rather reasonable response to the situation.

"There must be horse tracks going somewhere! I stopped the rain... er, I mean, the rain has stopped! So it should be easier to get a bearing on the kidnapper! There's still mud, and if the sun comes out today the mud will become hard and indent the tracks in the ground." Mihari explained further. "If Guinevere did take the queen, than I bet she's in Ordon Village, RIGHT NOW!"

"Good thinking, Mihari!" Carmine nodded as he turned to run out and carry out Mihari's plan. "I'll call in the tracking experts!"

"Good man!" Mihari cheered. "Percy! Go rally a search party!"

Mihari glanced down to see the elderly man that Zelda had put in charge, in the fetal position on the floor like a little scared child in a thunderstorm.

"Percy, stop acting like a baby! You're one of the queen's men for goodness sake! Act like it!" Mihari shouted as he looked up at the councilmen that surrounded the table speechless. "And all of you get to work! Majesty needs us! We can finish this meeting at a later time!"

"Right, right, right." The councilmen nodded and stroked their beards before departing the table and busily shuffling off to do whatever work needed to be done.

Within moments, Mihari stood alone in the council room. The councilmen had rolled Percy across the floor and into the hallway, leaving the magician to his own thoughts.

As the doors closed tightly behind the last councilman, Mihari's stoic face evolved into a devilish grin. "My, oh my, this might work out after all! I just love it when the plot twists and it works in my favour! Once everything is in order, I must remember thank whoever planned this! Of course, whoever planned this will probably be kissing the ground I walk on once all is said and done."

* * *

Zelda poked her head out of the guest room's bathroom, making sure that she was alone. She looked around the cozy, one person bedroom and saw that a fresh pair of clothes had been courteously set out for her on the bed, and that her muddy clothes had been picked up off the floor and taken away.

Wrapped in nothing more than a dark, green towel, she scurried her wet, bare feet across the wooden planks that made up the floor beneath them. Once she reached the bed she quickly examined the clothing that had been left for her to wear. It was nothing more than simple, villager garments. They were nothing special or extravagant, but Zelda was okay with that. She was going to be allowed to get dressed by herself without any ladies-in-waiting playing with her hair or pieces of her clothing or any anxious advisors chatting to her about politics as she got dress behind a folding screen of some sort.

She quickly glanced over at the wooden door to make sure it was indeed locked back up by whoever left the clothing out for her. She then looked over at the modest curtains that covered the room's single, wide window. Privacy was still important to Zelda; and when everything was as it should be, she dropped the towel to the floor and sighed.

Though it was only her in the room at the time, she still made it point to get dressed as quickly as she could. Understandably, standing in the nude for long periods of time was not something the young Queen of Hyrule was accustomed too.

After she was dressed, she stood tall and looked at herself in the mirror. The outfit was made up of white capri pants, brown gladiator sandals and a dark, green, loose fitting tank top shirt that a bit of leather lace down the centre of the bust area.

Zelda slung her long blonde locks over her left shoulder and gathered the many strands of hair with her hands. She considered tying her hair back, but she was not a fan of such things. She enjoyed having her hair down. But it was because of this personal preference that she could be easily identified by any crown representatives that were in the area. Zelda was known for always wearing her hair down. There was no exception to this preference when it came to meeting with representatives from respected villages.

Ultimately deciding to play it safe, Zelda grabbed the hair elastic off the bed that had been left with the clothing and began to put her hair in a long ponytail that she could stylishly sling over her shoulder when need be.

After adjusting her hair style, the young monarch took a deep breath before sitting down the bed to think out her next move. She still needed to outmaneuver Mihari and trap him into a checkmate. She also needed to think about what she would do once she was home again. What troubles would await her when she returned? She knew she had to get rid of Mihari/Ghirahim as his mere presence was distracting her from carrying out her queenly duties.

Zelda rested her elbows on her knees, then folded her hands and held them to her mouth pensively. She narrowed her eyes as she reviewed what she could and could not do. _When I get home, I should just out Mihari for the demon he is in front of everyone. The diary is enough evidence. Common sense can cover the rest. But why do I feel so nervous about this? Something isn't right. Stop being paranoid, Zelda, everything will work out in your favour. It's written in the stars that good always overthrows evil, right?_

There was a firm knock at the door before Zelda could continue her train of thought. Out of reflects Zelda wanted to yell 'Mihari go away', it is reminded her of the pestering knocking that the magician did on her office door on a daily basis. But Zelda remembered that she was far from home and Mihari was far away. She was in the company of the friendly people of Ordon. Zelda called out to the person behind the door "Yes?"

"Are you decent, Miss. Helen?" Hector familiar but muffled voice inquired through the wood door.

"Y-yes!" Zelda called as she picked up the towel on the floor and threw it into the bathroom. She stumbled a bit as she made her way to the door and undid the lock on the knob. "What do you want, Master Hector?"

The door opened and the happy, handsome fellow stood on the other side smiling at Zelda. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like a tour around the village."

"A tour?" Zelda was slightly surprised by Hector's request for some reason. But she realize that it would be a prime opportunity for her to see Ordon for what it really was and speak with people without having to worry them with her status. "I'd love to!"

"You will? Great!" Hector laughed a bit. "Let's not waste any time and get right down to it!"

Zelda smiled. "Sure, let's go!"

"Did I mention that you look very lovely when you aren't covered in mud?" Hector extended a gentlemanly arm for Zelda to take hold of, which she accepted.

* * *

Another roar shook the land as Link and Ashli tried to balance their weight, to prevent falling over inside the cabin.

Ashli's face was more than concerned as she reached for her yeti poncho and helmet. She stumbled a bit as the roars continued.

"Ashli, what's going on?" Link inquired before falling into a coughing fit.

"Stay here, hero boy!" Ashli ordered as she strapped on her boots and placed the yeti helmet on her head. "I can handle this on my own. I don't need you interfering, seeing as you are nothing more than a sick ward patient!"

Link stood up straight as he grabbed his sword off the table. "Hey, I can still fight!"

"Not in conditions like this, Jack." Ashli flung open the cabin's door. The cold mountain air blew inside strongly and flooded the room. It even extinguished the burning embers in the fireplace, thus putting the cabin into darkness. The blowing snow also seeped inside and hit Link in the face. It felt like a million little frozen warriors carrying out an assault on his cheeks.

"Relight the fire! And whatever you do, don't leave this cabin!" Ashli barked as she stepped outside and slammed the cabin door shut, leaving Link alone in the dark.

Link looked over at a matchbox sitting on one of the bookshelves and decided to do as Ashli said. He struck a single match and threw it into the hearth. Within moments, the fire had grown again and crackled and sparked with all the might it did before.

Link sighed as he sat down on the red rug once more with a thud. He tried to ignore the roars of whatever it was, coming from outside. But deep in Link's heart he felt the need to run outside and face whatever the danger was. His call to action, he could feel it in his heart and in the deepest inner workings of his soul.

The young hero laid down on his back and stared at the ceiling. While sprawled out on the floor, he tried to drown out the sound of the roars by falling asleep, but couldn't seem to do so. He still felt the need to be outside and facing whatever was going on.

"Master Link. Finally you are alone." A familiar, monotone voice chimed in the silence.

"WHAT!?" Link shot up from his place on the floor and looked around. "Voices in my head!?"

"No." The voice corrected as Link looked over at the dining table to see a female figure sitting calmly on it. "We have not yet officially met, Master."

Link felt his jaw swing open in amazement. "W-who are you!? How did you get in here!?"

The figure stepped onto the wooden floor without making a sound. Her steps did not creak the wooden panels like a normal person would. "I am Fi."

"You're what!?" Link gasped in shock.

* * *

Mihari's footsteps slammed down on the stone floors of the castle. He was in a hurry. But why wouldn't he be? He was about to get exactly what he wanted. In his mind, he had a date with destiny. It was a destiny that was thousands of years in the making and he would not screw up again. This time he would get what he wanted. He had successfully broken up the chosen hero and the Goddess's descendant. Mihari believed Link to be as good as dead, which was even better for his cause as that meant Link would never appear and ruin his plans.

Mihari's dark master's blade had been removed from its resting place under the Arbiter's Grounds, and he awaited its delivery by the hand that pulled it. Of course, Mihari did not know that Gregor had died and that Link had destroyed the sword. Yes, the dark magician thought he knew everything, but in fact he was quite uninformed.

"Someone get me into contact with Gordo, the queen's suitor!" Mihari called down the hallways. "I must speak with him immediately!"

"Right away!" shouted one of the scrambling advisors. "I will send word!"

* * *

"You're what?" Link repeated himself again as the female figure stepped into the light.

The figure's hair was thin, long and silver. It seemed somewhat majestic and almost unearthly as the tips flowed gently by some unseen and unfelt breeze. It was partially hidden under a purple bandana that covered the top part of her head and had an upside down Triforce engraved on it. Blue, diamond earrings hung from both of her ear lobes. Her eyes were gray and they quite narrow in comparison to Link's. Her skin was pale and it made her look rather ill. She wore a blue haori over a short white dress that had traces of gold and purple lace woven into it. There was a large blue diamond pendent that was similar to her earrings, on her chest. On her legs she wore gold stockings that flowed regally into a pair of blue ballet slippers that she wore on her feet.

"I am Fi. I was created many years ago by the Goddess to help guide the chosen hero." The girl explained as her stoic eyes danced across the cabin in wonder. "I have fulfilled my duty once before in a very different time and place, but it appears I must do it again."

"The Goddess? Chosen hero?" Link slowly approached the girl in astonishment. "What are you?"

"I am the spirit of the legendary blade, the Master Sword." Fi responded as she looked over at a mirror. She ran her delicate fingers down her face in surprise, as if she was shocked to see herself. "When you touched and destroyed Demise's blade, you freed my spirit."

"The Master Sword... you mean the Hero of Twilight's blade? So Demise's blade was that one under the Arbiter's Grounds?" Link replied as he glanced at the mirror. "What's the matter?"

"I did not realize that my form had changed so drastically." Fi looked over at Link with a serious look in her eyes. "Do you know of Ghirahim?"

"I do!" Link nodded quickly, hoping the so called 'sword spirit' would yield some more information to him.

"I see." Fi nodded as she looked over at the weapons sitting on the table. "We have much to discuss, Master Link. But, I sense that your friend is in grave danger. I suggest you go and look for her."

"But she told me not to." Link looked at the floor. "This is all really weird! I wonder if Ashli slipped me a potion while I was sleeping and now I'm having strange dreams."

"Master, there is a seventy five percent chance that your friend will suffer if you do not take action." Fi stated. Her voice remained monotone and calm.

"Seventy five percent? Well... what about the other twenty five percent?" Link laughed a bit as he shuffled towards the table and strapped on his sword. This was what he wanted, to go and see some action. Of course, it would be difficult to tell Ashli why he was out there. What would he say? A sword spirit told him to find her?

"I will await your return." Fi informed as she continued to run her fingers down her face.

Link adjusted his green cap on his head and then looked over at the girl. "Why not come with me?"

Fi shook her head. "No. I have something that I must analysis."

Link then attached his shield to his back. "Your _new form_?"

Fi looked at Link in surprise and then nodded. "I must know why I have the body of a descendant of the Goddess. Though it is an honour, I must try to come up with a reason."

"You know, you do remind me of Princess Zola. Except her hair was blonde and she didn't look... sick. She's been assumed dead for years. I remember seeing her portrait in that one hallway in the castle! She was Zelda's father's cousin or something like that!" Link exclaimed. He then realized what he was saying. "How can you look like Princess Zola!? That doesn't make sense."

"I must go through my memories to find an answer." Fi did not make any other motions as she analyzed Link's statement. "Zelda..."

Before Link could say anything else he had swung the cabin door open and was treading through the snow. He hacked and heaved his coughs as he tried to see through the snowy winds. "Ashli!"

Fi looked at herself in the mirror again in wonder. She then spoke aloud, as if trying to remember a piece of information as fact, "_Princess _Zola is a descendant of Her Grace. She is Zelda's father's cousin. Zelda is therefore also related to my creator. And Master Link is the hero reborn."

* * *

"And that is Greta's house. She's the best baker south of Castle Town!" Hector continued to rave about the many people of Ordon Village to Zelda. "Don't let any of Hyrule's colonies tell you otherwise!"

Zelda looked at Hector astonished. "Does Ordon have much contact with the colonies in the southwest passage?"

Hector didn't see anything out of the ordinary about the question and simply shrugged. "Yeah, sometimes. Things have calmed down since King Gengo died. We would have preachers here almost every single day telling us about some goddess named Hylia. Hyrule is a Golden Goddess nation. Everyone knows that it was them and their deeds that created this land. We generally refused to listen to these silly claims about some fake divine being."

"Have they tried to make any military advances on you?" Zelda inquired as Hector escorted her by the Hero of Twilight's house.

"Not recently. Sometimes there are some scouts hanging out in the woods. I've caught a few and reported them to authorities. The knights usually come by and take them back to Castle Town to get information out of them." Hector sighed. "You ask a lot of questions, Miss. Helen. Do they not teach you anything out on Lake Hylia?"

"Well, I'm just trying to take in the whole living organism that is Ordon Village." Zelda smiled. "All I know is that Ordona Province officially became part of Hyrule shortly after Ganondorf's defeat. Well, that and that it is the hometown of the Hero of Twilight."

"My ancestor, yes." Hector nodded as his warm smile faded away into a neutral expression. "You know, Helen, you remind me of someone from my childhood."

Zelda raised her eyebrows in concern. Someone had seen through her act. "Oh."

"This sounds crazy but, when I was a kid, I was a playmate of Queen Zelda's. My family worked closely with the royal family in the castle." Hector explained. "You kind of remind me of her. Now, I haven't seen her since we were little kids, so you probably aren't her, but I just feel like I know you from somewhere! You ever get that feeling, Miss. Helen?"

"Yup!" Zelda replied quickly. "I'm not royalty, far from it!"

"Yeah, I know." Hector laughed a bit. "It's silly."

The pair of distant cousins walked in silence through the newer part of Ordon Village. Zelda saw people doing simple everyday tasks like putting the laundry out on the clothes line and children playing tag in the street. In was a kinder and gentler Hyrule, it was simple village life. In Ordon no one was putting on an act except her. Zelda felt like a wolf in sheep's clothing compared to everyone around her.

A flock of falcons soared over the skies of Ordon and over Zelda and Hector's heads. Zelda knew exactly where they came from. Zelda muttered under her breath. "Those birds are from the Royal Falconry Club."

"Hey, I didn't know falcons were flock birds!" Hector laughed as he gazed up at the birds that seemed to be surveying the ground below. "What do you think they're doing?"

_I figured they'd be looking for me. They're really on top of things at the castle today._ Zelda looked over at Hector to see that he was unaware that falcons were not flock birds at all. Only the trained falcons used by the royal falconers flew together in a flock when they were looking for something, or someone.

"Um, Hector. Do you know of anywhere to have lunch?" Zelda asked quickly, wanting to get out of the view of the falcons. She didn't want them to spoil what she was experiencing Ordon, a rare glimpse into the normal life of people.

Hector looked down from the sky and over at Zelda. He smiled his usual warm smile. "Well, yeah. But we can stop for lunch once I've shown you around a little more. I still need to introduce you to some people."

"Um, where's Guinevere?" Zelda asked, trying to lead Hector off the main path.

"Who cares? You're her new apprentice, so you'll have plenty of time to feel her wrath." Hector rolled his eyes as he began to guide Zelda down the main path again. "She's probably at her usual spot, bragging at the cafe about her latest excursion. Bloody blowhard she is. You can have all the fame and fortune in the world, but you'll always come back to your hometown to boast about it, as if you have something to prove to everyone."

* * *

The winds of Snowpeak blew harder and more violently than they had before. Link tried to block the oncoming snow by putting an arm in front of his face, but it did little for him.

"Ashli!" called Link. "Ashli, where are you? Why did I ever listen to some sword spirit?"

The roars and rumbles grew louder and were almost deafening. Sometimes they would send Link stumbling back a bit. It was like an earthquake, but Link pressed onward anyway. He knew what he had to do. He owed Ashli his life, and as such, he justified his courageousness with the fact.

Though you the reader probably see Link's actions as foolish and possibly stupid, you must understand that being in the face of danger was Link's true calling. As I told you before, deep inside his soul, Link wished to confront whatever the danger was and conquer it.

The roar was mighty and Link realized it was no natural disaster; it was the cry an angry beast. The fact that Ashli was familiar with this worried Link a bit. What had been going on at Snowpeak anyway? If it was anything like the desert, than Link knew that there would be trouble.

* * *

**Review it! If you have yet to vote on the poll on my profile, go do that! Thanks to those who have voted! It is still close race. If you have voted and you want me to do the idea that you chose, please put in your review (or send me a message) why you think I should do X story over Y and Z story, you may be able to tip the scale in your favour. I really don't care which one I do, I just know I won't be able to choose by myself.**


	34. Waking the Warrior Within

_(A/N: It's taken me forever to write this chapter. It contains the second "boss battle", so I had to make sure it was polished and primed. I'm also incredibly busy and overworked at the moment. I have penned three essays since my last update so my brain is numb from writing. I've also had some computer problems. Please continue to support me and push me onward. Much love!–Infamous 4/6/13)_

* * *

**Act 34: **_**Waking the Warrior Within**_

There is no possible way to describe the thoughts that went through Link's head as he pushed himself through snowy hillsides and ultimately, around in circles. The roars seemed to echo through the hollows of the mountain ranges and confuse the listener as to where the source actually was.

"Ashli!" Link called out one more time as he entered deeper snow. "This is ridiculous!"

The roar of the beast seemed to be growing nearer by the moment, though Link was not sure if he could trust his senses.

"Ashli!" he continued to call into the storm.

After moments of wandering in the blizzard he eventually heard a scream. It was a scream that one would hear in one of the cheap haunted houses in Castle Town, that were often put together by rip off artists who wanted to make a quick rupee off of the cheap thrills of children.

"Ashli, is that you!?" Link called in reply to the scream. He felt his legs beginning to move faster under pressure.

The scream went off again. This time it was closer than before, as if it were running away from something. Link of course perked his ears up and tried to run towards the source, knowing that when he reached it he would most likely encounter the source of the roaring.

"Ashliiiiiiiiiiiii!" Link then screamed back as his frozen breath puffed through the air and the wind.

In the young hero's gut he knew that it was the rough and rowdy girl that had rescued him from certain death. In turn, he grabbed his sword off of his back with his left hand and attached his shield to his right arm. Whatever danger he faced ahead, he would be ready for it, no matter how sick he had become.

* * *

Though the castle was in a scrambled state of emergency and the looming denial that the monarch may have been kidnapped by one of the most skilled bounty hunters and trackers in the country plagued the structure like wildfire. If Guinevere _had_ kidnapped Zelda, she would have known exactly how to evade detection.

But through the frustration, confusion and outright stupidity, a hum could be heard coming from the throne room. It was subtle and hard to hear, but all the same, it was someone humming as if they were doing their laundry. Though many people heard the hum, no one dared to investigate as they had other things to do, like crying in a corner.

Mihari sat once again in Zelda's chair in the royal throne room with his feet kicked up in a relaxed position. He was examining his white gloved fingers nonchalantly as he hummed. He was still waiting for Gordo to arrive from wherever he was so they could have their discussion.

He glanced over at the window that he had smashed on his last visit to the throne room. It had been cleaned up and boarded up, awaiting a replacement window. No doubt Zelda would be asked what image she wished to have painted on the replacement stained glass. So the window would most likely remain boarded up until Zelda arrived home safely.

The humming and the admiring of his own hands went on for another ten minutes until he heard some stirring outside the throne rooms might door.

"Majesty's suitor is here! Why is he here?" a confused maid panicked as she gossiped to someone else. "Majesty is not here!"

"That Gordo fellow is here? Hm." The other maid replied pensively. "Did someone order him here?"

The gossiping maids had run off from the door, and as soon as they did, Mihari ceased his merrymaking and focused on something else.

"It's about time." Mihari smiled a twisted grin as he raised his left hand and snapped his fingers.

In front of him, the rusty haired suitor of Zelda fabricated out of a wall of yellow diamonds.

"Good to see you, Gordo." Mihari liked his lips like the snake was as he stood up from the throne and walked towards the young man. "We have much to discuss!"

"Is Zelda okay!?" Gordo panicked as he ran and grabbed the magician by the shoulders and shook him. "They said it was an emergency, so I rode like the wind to get here!"

Mihari smiled nonchalantly and simply patted the suitor on the right shoulder. He then began to chuckle. "Everything will be just fine, my dear boy. Just... relax."

"Relax? How can I relax when the queen is missing!?" Gordo snapped. But before he could utter another comment Mihari had pinched his white gloved fingers on a nerve in the young suitor's neck, causing him to collapse to the floor.

Mihari gently removed his hand from the nape of Gordo's neck and sighed. "Let's get this show on the road. It has been many years in the making and I now see my chance to do what I wish to do."

* * *

The roar sounded once again and Link looked up to see the hills in front of him shaking, as if they were being scaled by some colossal beast.

Link readied himself. He backed up a bit and braced himself. He backed into a few of the abandoned flags from the Hylian games and stepped on them, cracking their brittle poles in half.

Another roar cried out as the snow on the hill began to roll down. And then, a creature appeared from the other side. A mighty wind blew, blinding Link from capturing his first glimpse of the beast.

Link fell backward from the mighty gust of wind that was produced as he looked up at the creature in fear and awe. "What is that thing!?"

Horns of a ram broke through the blizzard, along with a deafening cry. Link could tell that the creature was well over seven stories high, just by where the horns were positioned in the storm.

The snowy winds died down, revealing the body of the beast. It had the face of a large cat creature and ivory tusks like a walrus. The monster's feet were like bird claws, but they were powerful and capable enough to tread through snowy plains. Like bird claws, they could also probably hold onto something very tightly, and even snap it in half. The fur of the beast was soft and icy blue with a few black spots dotted every which way. But aside from all of this, the eyes haunted Link the most. It had the eyes of a vexed serpent; they were an angry yellow and the pupils were mere slits of blacks.

The beast looked down at Link and then let out another cry. The cry was a mix between a lion and an angered gorilla. Saliva dripped down its tusks and flew from its mouth and scattered like rain.

"Link, run!" Ashli's familiar raspy voice shouted from somewhere unseen.

Link looked around quickly. "Ashli? Ashli where are you!?"

"I'm up here!" she shouted from the head of the beast. Link could barely see her holding on tightly to the monster's left horn, trying not to fall to her death. "Get out of here!"

"What is this thing!?" Link called as he looked the creature in the eyes.

Ashli wrapped her arms around the horn, hugging her body against it. She closed her eyes and called back. "I don't know! I've never encounter anything about it in my readings. I think it's some kind of mutation. I call it a Walram!"

"Where did it come from?" Link quizzed as the creature lowered it's head to examine Link.

"This ain't time to talk, Jack. Get outta here and let me deal with it!" Ashli scolded as she looked at Link with anguish. "I've been fighting this thing for over a year now."

Link looked back into the beast's eyes and gripped his sword tightly in his left hand. He felt beads of sweat beginning to roll down the hilt of the blade from his hand. Looking at his reflection in the creature's eyes, he exhaled and took one mighty swing and struck the Walram's catlike snout as hard as he could.

The beast screamed out as it tilted its head back, sending Ashli rolling down it's spine and into the snow. Strange green blood oozed from the wound and it hit the ground like acid rain. It spilt into the snow and began to melt it away, causing steam to rise up into the air.

"Oh, now you've done it!" Ashli shouted as she tried to pull herself out of the snow bank. "Run!"

"No way!" Link shouted back as he twirled his sword in his left hand.

The Walram raised one of its talons and howled before beginning to lower it over Link.

"You idiot! The blood is acidic! Get away from it!" Ashli hissed as she ran to Link's side and pushed him out of the way.

As predicted, the Walram grabbed up Ashli with its oversized claw with upmost ease. Link could only watch in horror as the beast waved his acquaintance around like a rag doll.

Link felt the blood drain from his face as a look of hopelessness overcame his once confident expression. He had to figure out a way to free his comrade without getting himself or her harmed in the process. This would be most difficult as Link could tell from the salivating tusks of the beast, that it was not willing to play nice. For obvious reasons, the creature had not taken a liking to the slash Link had delivered to its blue snout.

"Do you want to die!?" Ashli screamed as she tried to worm out of the creature's iron grip.

Link looked at the ground for a moment, trying to once again find his courage. After a moment, he swallowed hard and looked up at the beast once more. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I can't die here. I promised myself that I would bring a certain _someone_ to justice first. But to do that, Ashli, you need to show me that strange tunnel! For you to show me where that tunnel is, I need you alive."

"You are out of your mind!" Ashli shouted as she freed her right arm and began to hammer the beast's talon with her fist. "If we make it out of this alive, remind me to kill you!"

"Deal." Link nodded and bit his lip as he prepared to fight for not only his life, but for the life of his friend. A strange amount of confidence flooded every cell in his body, he felt as if he could fight a horde of savages. Though he could not pinpoint where this newfound strength came from, Link was thankful that he had it.

* * *

The unconscious groans of Zelda's suitor, Gordo, did not echo nearly as loudly as one would believe. They were surprising quiet. They were masked by Mihari the magician's cheerful singing as he dragged the handsome suitor down the castle's portrait lined hallways.

"_And by the walls of waning, and by the portraits of sombre stares. I got myself a vessel for my master to impair. With strength of angered heartbeats, and the old goddess' bane, I bring my lord a vessel so he may once roam free again. It took me many decades, a century and some I'd say, but it is all coming together, handed to me on a tray."_

Mihari looked up at the portrait of Zelda VI and her son Laertes with a most painful expression. He began to sing once more._ "Although I lost the last round, mama's boy won the day. There is no one here to stop me, and I will do what I may."_

The magician quickly let go of Gordo's buff arms and let the suitor lay on the ground in a slump. He approached the mother and son portrait with a look of disgust on his face. It was the one where old Zelda was sitting in her throne and her son stood next to her. This portrait always bothered Mihari. He looked up at the painted figures like he had so many times before. He looked at Zelda VI's oil based eyes and sighed he took on a most mocking tone. "_Don't look at me like that mummy._ _You always liked Laertes better. It's because you loved his father more, isn't it!?"_

Yes, Mihari was mocking an angered statement that Prince Percival had made to his mother many years prior. He then turned his attention to Laertes and began his mocking once again. "_Mummy always liked you better because you were born first and you look like her lover! She always favoured you because she thought you were special! You aren't special Laertes, you're a bastard! Come fight me and prove to me how special you really are! Fight me for the right to the throne and we'll see who the true heir of Hyrule is!_"

Mihari then began laughing maniacally at his own ridiculing statements of a foolish boy who believed in everything he had told him. There was nothing like walking down memory lane for a sick individual like Mihari.

"Well, looks like in the end I did win, eh, Laertes? What was it you called me? A _manipulative, conceited snake in the grass_? You said you would protect your country and your family from the likes of me. So where are you now, little bastard? Six feet down, and I'm still here. Perhaps you should have left the hero work to your real father, hm?" Mihari stopped his laughing as he turned away from the portrait and then began dragging Gordo once again. "Back to business. I have a tall order to fill."

As the magician dragged the unconscious suitor to who-knows-where, the eyes of the portraits in the hallway seemed to be on the verge of crying in defeat as if they knew Mihari's whole plan and they thought they knew that there was no way that Zelda or Link could ever stop him. Of course, they were just oil based creations and not people, so what could they ever know?

* * *

Link began to weave between the Walram's legs, trying to confuse the creature. It would look down and around for the young hero, but would quickly become frustrated so it would stand still.

"Hold on Ashli!" Link seemed to repeat this phrase over and over again. "I'll save you!"

"Save me? Save me? I don't need your help, buddy!" Ashli shouted back. "What I need is for you to get lost! I'll handle it!"

Ashli of course, was still stuck in the death grip of the creature's talons. Her right arm and upper torso were free, but her left arm and her legs remained in the Walram's hold.

"How do I beat this thing?" Link yelled at his ally, trying to gather information.

"Stun it!" Ashli shouted. "It hates getting snow in its eyes. It burns them! That's what I've been doing anyway."

Link did a shoulder roll under the beast's hind legs and found himself looking at a long, rat tail that had a small bush of fur on the tip that hung down from the creature's rear end. Link then had an idea as he murmured to himself. "It has a tail..."

Link grabbed the round, blue shield that had been a gift from the Zora's off of his back. He remembered that when wet the shield's edges would become razor sharp. He looked at the snow beneath his feet and then quickly rolled the shield's rounded edges in the snow, hoping that the water's frozen form would be enough to sharpen the silver on the shield's edges.

"Jack, what are ya doing!?" Ashli called back as the Walram turned its attention to her. Its horrid breath intoxicated her lungs and almost knocked her out. She could see its snakelike tongue snapping out quickly and lustfully, as if it were awaiting the right moment to eat her in a single gulp. "Whatever you're doing, can you hurry it up!"

As soon as Ashli uttered her last words, Link ran his bare finger tip across the sharpened silver edging of the shield. He cut his finger on it and a small stream of blood came pouring out of the wound. Instead of wincing in pain, he nodded and grinned, the snow had indeed been able to sharpen the shield's edge.

_I gotta move fast of this is going to work... _Link furrowed his brow as he raised the round shield above his head and then swung with all of his might. He struck the rat like tail and severed it.

The Walram scream out as Link threw the shield to the ground facedown and jumped onto it like a snowboard.

"Whoa!" Ashli shouted from the creature's talon as it raised her up. "What did you do!?"

Link quickly rode the shield down the small slope and back to the front end of the monster. In doing so, he had again sharpened the shield in the snow. He then unsheathed his sword and looked up at Ashli. "Can you catch?"

"Are you serious!?" Ashli barked. "Think of something else!"

Link sheathed his sword and looked down at the shield he had used as a makeshift snowboard and then nodded once more as he recalled the uses of the weapon. He stepped off of it and quickly picked it up in his left hand. He then wound up to throw the shield through the air like a boomerang. He extended his left arm over his right shoulder and focused on his target, the creature's claw. He did not know if the shield would be able to sever it, but he had to at least try it, Ashli told him to think of something else, and he had.

Link snapped out his left arm out and released the shield into the air. With it flew his hopes of saving not only himself and his friend, but Hyrule as well. If he died, he knew in his heart that Hyrule was doomed to the dark designs of not only the Walram, but of Mihari/Ghirahim as well. Link mumbled to himself hopelessly. "Please."

The razor edges of the shield connected with the rough, black flesh of the beast's left claw. It dug in deep and continued to spin rapidly, splashing and spewing the acidic, green blood all around. Link tried to conceal his excitement as the shield cut into the creature's tissue. He truly thought that he could sever the claw from the monster's limb and free his friend. But, instead, the shield began to slowly lose momentum and eventually stopped spinning all together. The shield had been able to cut all the way down to the bone, but it had ultimately been lodged into it.

Link felt the colour burn out of his face once more as his jaw slowly opened in disbelief. "Dammit..."

The Walram cried out in pain again as it began to notice the large laceration in its would be wrist. One could only imagine what intense pain would follow for the creature as it had had its flesh ripped and torn down to the bone and now it had a piece of metal wedged into its bone.

The Walram let go of Ashli and dropped her to the ground so it could tend to its own problems. Link gasped a bit as he ran to catch her. He successfully did so by holding out his arms underneath where he thought she would land.

With a thud, Link had caught his friend and she did not look good. Link could tell just by looking at her that she would be unable to move by herself. The creature's grip had crushed many important bones in Ashli's body.

"Can you stand?" Link asked as he could see the obvious pain beginning to grow on Ashli's face.

Ashli gridded her teeth and stuttered as she spoke. Blood began to drip from the corner of her mouth "W-what do you th-think, you, asshole."

It was more of a statement than a question, since Link knew the answer. She was bleeding from the mouth and this made Link's mind race about what could be wrong with her. His medical experience did not surpass his first-aid training from his servant days and the few things he had heard from the castle infirmary workers. He had no ideas as to what to do.

But Ashli was the least of his problems. He looked up to see the twenty metre tall monster drooling as it wrapped it's right claw over its damage left one and began to do the unthinkable, it began to rip the talon right off of its own body, as if knowing that it was useless.

"Is it intelligent?" Link's eyes narrowed as he rested Ashli on the ground and raised his eyebrows. He then looked down at Ashli in concern. He had to get her away from the scene, and he could not run as fast in the snow, especially while carrying a person.

"Not really." Ashli coughed heavily. "It's only as smart as you, maybe a little dumber."

Link had no choice but to stand and fight. He would have to lure the beast away from his friend so she could not be harmed any more than she already was.

Link then unsheathed his blade again as he watched the Walram throw its detached appendage over the hillside in rage. He tried not to get sick by the amount of acidic blood that poured into the snow and melted it on contact.

"Keep your head up, Jack." Ashli murmured as she coughed up more blood.

Link glanced over desperately at his ally and hushed. "Try to stay quiet."

Of course Link felt some guilt for Ashli's damaged state. If he hadn't shown up, she wouldn't have been snatched up in the first place. He really should have listened to her, and not to some strange sword spirit that may have been a complete fabrication of his imagination.

It was time for action. Link needed to think of a new strategy on the fly. Stunning the beast with snow in the eyes could work if he could pinpoint a weak spot and exploit it as soon as said monster was stunned.

Link could see the creature was eyeing up Ashli once more and almost completely ignoring him. "Oh no you don't."

Link tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword and fixed his gaze on the Walram's snout, where he had made a clean slice in its catlike nose. The acid, green blood had hardened and a clean cut remained. Link tried to think of something based on this.

For the time being, Link knew he had to lead the creature away from Ashli. So he ran up to the right talon that was firmly planted in the snow and gripped the blade with both hands and thrust it downward as hard as he could. He quickly removed the blade as the Walram howled out in pain and realized what was going on. Link flicked off the excess acidic blood off of the sword's metal and into the snow as he sprinted back up the slope, trying to lead the monster away.

The monster was already a slow mover, but since it had lost an appendage and now had another one damaged, it limped and hopped along. Turning around was a challenge in itself, but when it finally did turn and face the direction Link was running in, it snapped it's snakelike tongue out violently between its walrus tusks and fixed its focus on the young man that was clad in green. The green blood continued to spill from the left arm and dump into the snow like a trickling, acidic waterfall.

Link stood on the top of the slope that the beast had originally scaled and looked down upon it. The monster was losing blood and at some point in time it would die of blood loss. Link had no clue as to when such an event would happen though. He had no idea about the anatomy of some mutant creature, let alone his own. For all the young hero knew, the beast could bleed out for days and not die.

Assuming the later idea, Link needed to cook up a plan. _If I could get up on its back and get up near its eyes... it wouldn't be pretty by any means, but it could work._

The Walram limped and stumbled closer and closer to Link. The young hero was still trying to flesh out his strategy, but it was obvious he would not have enough time to do so. He only murmured to himself. "Come on... just a little bit closer."

Link kneeled down and gathered some snow in his right hand and shaped it into a sphere. He ignored how frostbiten the tips of his fingers had become and how his whole body was just a single pang of numbness. He would not take his eyes off Ashli for too long, to make sure little puffs of fog from her breath left her lips and rose up into the air. When he saw the reassuring clouds, he could relax for a moment and continue to focus on his plan.

He waited for the beast to draw as close as he needed it to be, to the point he had planned in his mind. When he saw that the beast was exactly where he wished it to be, Link put his plan into action.

Traveling like a burning flame in a forest fire, Link slid down the slope once more and dipped his blade in one of the several streams of green blood that flowed in the snow. Link would use the monster's own killer blood against it.

He looked up to see the creature's ugly face looming down at him and snarling. It was not close enough to eat him, or maybe it was and it was simply thinking about the most painful way to kill the young hero. Whatever it was doing, it gave Link enough time to whip the snowball in his right hand into the air and directly into the serpent eyes of the beast.

The Walram howled out in pain as steam rose up from its eye sockets and into the grey skies above. The cry shook the land beneath Link's feet and almost sent him falling backward onto his rear. But through it all, Link couldn't believe the monster was so stupid and that Ashli was actually right. But it was no time for victory dancing; Link had to focus on his plan as stunning the creature was only a small portion of said arrangement.

Cautiously, with his acid covered sword in his left hand, Link hopped onto the top of the Walram's damaged front claw and began to climb. He made sure not to get any of the drying blood from the beast's stab wound onto his boots and was also careful not to let the metal of the blade touch his hands. Getting burned by acid was not in Link's game plan and it was not something he wished to experience in his lifetime at any given point.

The beast's blue fur was bizarrely soft. It reminded Link of goose down, the way it was soft and silky to the touch. Link's experience with goose down is a subject for another day though. The young hero actually thought that the fur was so soft that he could rip some of the creature's fur out and use it in a pillow. Of course, what kind of aftermath doing such a thing would yield is something Link did not want to follow up on.

And so Link climbed, like the brave, naive, young soul he truly was. The Walram only screamed and howled its gorilla-lion cry into the mountains but it did not move, though it did shake. Its eyes were tightly shut, trying to squeeze out the frozen water particles. Link was grateful for the information that Ashli had supplied him with. Though he could no longer see her, Link somehow knew that Ashli was okay. He had to believe that or he would not be able to make his way onto the beast's back.

When he finally reached the top he could see for miles. He could see miles of snowy hillsides, wastelands and the odd tundra or two, nothing too exciting. He could see a large mansion structure in the distance that appeared to have fallen into decay ages prior. It was only another reminder of Hyrule's failed attempts to colonize generally inhabitable areas. It was also a reminder of the Hero of Twilight's triumphs.

Trying to maintain his balance, Link wobbled up to the beast's ram-like horns and stumbled a bit as he had neared his point of attack. He readied his sword by firmly gripping both hands on the hilt, closing his eyes tightly and finally... stabbing downward into the beast's eyes.

It was most definitely _not_ pretty or classy, just as Link had predicted. But Link had not predicted that the beast would bleed acid blood out of its damaged eyes. It was an oversight, but the young man was blessed with the Triforce of Courage, not the Triforce of Wisdom. One must at least give him credit for coming up with a plan.

So, the beast blew green acid out of its damaged eye openings. The acid engulfed Link's sword and singed holes into Link's clothing. But it was only natural that a small drop of the acidic blood did land on Link. It landed on the back of his left hand and burned a hole through the brown leather of his glove and then finally it touched his skin.

Realizing that his skin was being eaten by acid, Link panicked and let go of the sword. The burning of the green blood felt like he had just stuck his hand into a blue flamed candle. He rolled off of the monster's head, fell many feet and crashed into a nearby snow bank.

While lying there in agony, Link still heard the Walram's wails of pain for a good five minutes and eventually heard a loud crash that shook the earth to the core. Then, silence. The only other noise was the howling of the winds and the light groans of pain Link murmured out as the acid continued to work on the flesh on his hand.

"Ashli!" Link cried out as tears of pain began welling up in the corners of his eyes. "Ashli, if you're okay, shout back!"

Link felt his voice crack on his last sentence. The pain was too great for even the chosen hero. He had never felt anything like it. The burning severely stung as it tried to consume Link's hand. But still, instead of hopelessly shouting for help, Link was more focused on the wellbeing of his friend. "Ashli!"

He pulled himself up and groaned in pain as he hid his damaged hand under his right arm. Link rose up from his rut in the snow and began frantically glancing around the area, looking for Ashli. He couldn't remember where he left her. He only saw the large mass that was the Walram.

And there it lay, dead as a doornail in the snow. Its acidic blood ran like a small river into the frozen ground beneath it, melting everything it touched. Link was astonished and mesmerized by the creature's death, and was unsure if it was actually dead or not. He had to trust his eyes this time, as he was still missing his ally.

"Ashli!" Link shouted, hoping that the monster hadn't fallen on top of his friend and put her out of her misery. Link would never forgive himself if he was somehow responsible for the death of a friend. "Ashli, are you okay? Answer me! Gah!"

The pain in his hand only seemed to increase. He didn't dare inspect the damage, but he knew that at some point he would have to do so. So when he did, he was amazed to find that his flesh had healed. Smoke blew off of where a bloody hole should have been, as if his body had healed itself. The strange Triforce marking on the back of his hand glowed a bit and then faded. "What am I?"

Before he could pursue the thought further, Link heard a faint wheezing noise. His attention changed from his healed hand, to the deceased monster and eventually over to a figure that was lying on the ground in a scarce area of snow. It was right where Link had left his friend. It was Ashli.

"Now kill me." Link panted in jest, remembering the sarcastic deal he had made with his ally.

He crashed to his knees as he saw the girl was fading in and out of consciousness. He slapped her frozen cheeks, trying to keep her awake but this did not work. He didn't know what to do. His mind raced and would not slow down and analyze the situation for what it truly was. Ashli was possibly dying.

"Hey, stay with me!" Link shouted as he wiped the little trails of blood from the corners of his friend's mouth. "Hang in there!"

Link darted his eyes around to see that the snow was beginning to fall from the sky again. He needed to think of something quickly. "What am I gonna do!?"

Ashli then moaned. "Leave me here, you idiot."

"What!?" Link gasped, his frozen breath rising into the air as fog. "No way!"

Ashli swiftly grabbed Link's green tunic by the collar and yanked him down near her face. It took a lot of her strength to do so, but she did so quite effectively. "Get out of here! Leave me here, dammit!"

"I can't leave you here, Ashli." Link barked back. "I'll carry you back."

Ashli chuckled as she rolled to her side and spit blood out of her mouth like bad medicine. "You stupid, stubborn idiot."

Link creased his brow as he crouched down and decided to sling Ashli over his shoulders and into a fireman's carry. He would take his friend back, no matter what. It was not in his being to leave an ally to die. Link could never have lived with such a thing on his conscience.

"That was brilliant, Jack." Ashli murmured as she hung over Link's right shoulder. "It's like you're a totally different person now."

Link's face gave way to a toothy scowl as he thought of what he had done. He was very different compared to his humble servant self. It was a most interesting metamorphose, and Link kind of liked this change.

"Where did that thing come from?" Link grunted as he treaded slowly through the snow.

Ashli coughed and then inhaled heavily. "Don't know. Don't care. It's dead."

"And we're alive." Link replied with confidence, he couldn't believe he was able to say that. "Now stay quiet. I'll figure something out once we get back to the cabin."

Of course when Link thought of the cabin, he thought of his sword spirit friend, and possible hallucination, Fi. He was not too enthused to return to see the strange being as it was either a total figment of his imagination and it meant that he was going mad, or that the world of Hyrule truly was more complex and vast than he had ever dreamed.

But one thing was for sure; Link had awoken the inner part of his soul, and was now able to move forward. The warrior within was awake and ready to fight.

* * *

**Review it! Vote on the poll. All three ideas are running very close right now. Big thanks to those who have voted. **


	35. Revelations and Realizations

_(A/N: This chapter is going to be a little boring because I have to convey some information to you and I'm prepping the foundation for the final stages of the story. Just thought I'd let you know what is going on here. –Infamous 4/12/13)_

* * *

**Act 35: **_**Revelations and Realizations**_

Dozens of people sat around tables within the comforting confines of a local cafe. The smell of fresh coffee and tea infected the nostrils of all those inside the building. Though the supplies were limited, people still managed to munch on sandwiches made with processed meat and sip watered down, caffeinated beverages, along with some different kinds of juices.

Zelda could hear a couple of the town's middle aged gossips chirping back and forth at a nearby table as she sipped on a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Do you think the queen will ever marry? It must be lonely at the top, you know."

"I hear she's quite difficult to get along with and that she turns down every suitor she is presented with."

"Indecisive like her father."

"A few months before my dad died, he told me about the glory days of Laertes and how he missed them, though he was only a child in those days."

"Your father died ten years ago, Mable!"

"It's still relevant! Children shouldn't be allowed to govern a country!"

Zelda winced at the words of the gossiping women. It felt like little poison barbs getting stabbed into her heart. She couldn't seem to escape who she was or the whispers of her doubters. She squeezed her fists tight every time another comment let fly.

Hector noticed Zelda's discomfort of course and raised his brow at it. "Something wrong, Miss. Helen?"

Zelda looked into Hector's eyes and shook her head. "Oh, nothing is wrong at all."

Hector glanced over at the loose tongued women and laughed softly through his nose. "You a fan of Queen Zelda?"

"Well... I." Zelda looked at her half eaten sandwich.

"Well she's supposed to be coming here. It's been the talk of the town. You might even get to meet her, if you're lucky." Hector winked and then laughed at the idea. "Probably not! Her security team is probably five men deep. Goodness, I'm surprised she even gets exposed to air!"

"Yeah, what a silly idea!" Zelda laughed along with Hector nervously.

Hector then stopped his expression of amusement and became serious. "Don't take anything those old gossiping broads say seriously. Their lives are just so boring that they must discuss the lives of others to make their own more interesting. Most people here in Ordon adore her majesty. Maybe not so much her dear old dad, but we generally adore her! She is considered to be Hyrule's Sweetheart after all."

Zelda blushed a bit at Hector's description of her. Being called 'Hyrule's Sweetheart' surprised Zelda the most. She had no idea that she was so well liked. Then again, if one is surrounded by people who constantly doubt them, they will never hear anything good about themselves and only hear the bad.

"Hyrule's Sweetheart?"

"Jeez, Miss. Helen, do you live under a rock?" Hector moaned a bit at Zelda's obliviousness. "That's what everyone calls her. Maybe not to her face, but a lot of people think of her that way. Whether she likes it or not, people like her!"

Zelda slowly raised her right hand to her mouth as Hector stopped speaking. Hector then narrowed his eyes at her hand for a moment, as if he spotted a bug crawling on it.

Hector than reached across the table and swiftly but gently grabbed Zelda's wrist.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Zelda asked as Hector examined the back of her hand carefully.

"That's no ordinary birthmark, _Miss. Helen_." Hector whispered as he traced the Triforce marking out with his finger. "You don't seem like the type to get tattoos either."

Zelda snapped her hand back to herself and said nothing as she tucked her hands under her arms.

Hector then leaned over the table a bit with wide eyes, as if he had just been enlightened by something. He then whispered in Zelda's ear. "Pardon my bluntness, but, your majesty, why are you here by yourself?"

Zelda's eyelids snapped back in her head in shock. Her jaw almost dropped to the floor. Hector had seen through the charade. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

Hector sat back in his chair and clicked his tongue off of his teeth in astonishment. He continued to speak softly so he could not be overheard by eavesdropping ears. "Majesty, I apologize if I or anyone else here in Ordon has offended you in anyway."

"Hector, there's no need to be sorry. It was refreshing while it lasted." Zelda cleared her through as she tried to casually sip her juice, as if being found out was no big deal to her. She was trying to put on the usual royal act.

"What are you doing here without security, majesty? You cannot possibly think Guinevere will suffice. Pardon me, but she is probably the worst security guard money can buy! She'd feed you to a dragon before giving you her respect." Hector whispered as he raised his glass of water to his lips. He then placed it back on the table and sighed. "Majesty, what is going on here?"

Zelda darted her eyes around the room quickly and felt as if everyone in the room was staring at her and Hector. "My caravan was attacked. My team is dead. Guinevere brought me here."

"Guinevere did?" Hector raised his eyebrows in disbelief and then crossed his arms. "More like kidnapped you."

"Well, I forced her to." Zelda shrugged. "I didn't want to travel alone."

Hector stressfully ran his hand down his face trying to think of what to do. "Dear Din, I bet they have the best man hunters in the country hot in pursuit of my sister right now."

Zelda hugged herself tight for a moment as she looked down at the table. "Those falcons we saw earlier..."

Hector looked up at Zelda in shock. "You can't be serious. They were scouting? That's why you tried to get me to go elsewhere. Why? Don't you want to go home? I mean, it's probably a lot nicer than here."

The young monarch ran her fingers through her blonde ponytail. "That's the thing, I find this refreshing and I'm in no hurry to go home. I also like how close I can be to people without intimidating them with my status."

"So you do live in jail." Hector nodded, referring to their past conversation.

"How did you figure me out so quickly?" Zelda asked as she flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder so that it once again ran down her back.

Hector shrugged as he stood up. "Connecting the dots. Guinevere told me not to flirt with you, as _you are _my distant cousin. You reminded me of my childhood friend, Princess Zelda. You are far too naive about the world and appear to have lived a sheltered life. You were wearing some rather expensive clothing when you arrived. Only a select few have a mark like that on the back of their hand, and I would never forget a birthmark like that."

Hector extended his usual gentlemanly arm for Zelda to take hold of. "You are the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom, yet you do not act nearly as wise as I thought you would."

Zelda smiled a bit as she took the young man's arm once more and walked out of the cafe with him.

* * *

The steel shoes of the horse hooves that banged down on the ground shook the earth. A platoon of knights, led by a skilled man tracker and a huntsman plowed quickly through Hyrule Field. Small basset hounds quickly waddled in front of and alongside the horsemen, some with their noses quietly stuck to the ground, others barking and howling as they rushed towards the Ordona Province. The hounds were surprisingly fast runners compared to most.

The hunt for a bounty hunter was on. They would take their queen back and have Guinevere in shackles before the day was done. That was the plan.

Some may have thought that a platoon was far too many knights for a simple search, rescue and arrest mission such as this. But many knights in Hyrule were afraid of Good Lady Gwyn, so it never hurt to have a little more firepower.

"Come on men! Keep going! Her majesty needs our help!" shouted the Captain of the Guard, who was positioned just behind the huntsman. "What is Hyrule without its monarch?"

The knights looked up to see the falcons circling overhead, signalling that they had indeed found something and wished for their masters to follow them. A handful of knights in Hyrule were skilled in falconry, so it was only natural that most of them were members of the platoon.

"They got something!" called one of the knights from the back. "Keep going!"

* * *

Link sat on a stool and stared into the controlled flames within the fireplace's hearth. His hands were folded in front of his mouth and his eyes were dull. He had started reading one of the suggested reads that Ashli had given him, but he had not been able to get through the first chapters. So the books were in a stack in the corner.

On Ashli's instruction, he had rolled back the red floor mat and found an entrance to a small cellar. Within its confines, Link found several different potions for emergency use. He had given Ashli a red potion and she had then fallen asleep.

Every now and again Link would look over at his friend to make sure she was indeed okay. The yellow light from the fire gently played upon her hair, making it seem more navy blue than raven black. Link then thought about the hidden potions and murmured with a chuckle. "Sneaky broad."

"Master Link." A familiar voice chimed from behind him.

Link jumped a bit at the sound of the monotone voice. "Fi!"

"I apologize for startling you." FI nodded a bit as her strange silver hair flowed with an unfelt breeze. "Is your friend okay?"

Link stood up and looked from Fi to Ashli. "I guess so. No thanks to you. I almost got her killed. You said if I didn't go and help her she would die. She could have died anyway. She can't walk anymore."

Fi gave her new master a most perplexed look. "But you did rescue her and now she is safe."

Link only moaned a bit at the spirit's reply.

"Now, we have much to discuss." Fi continued. "You must return to the castle and-

"Link, who are you talking to?" Ashli's voice interrupted with a grumble. Her eyes were tightly shut, as if she were still half asleep.

Link gasped a bit. "No one! Go back to sleep!"

"Right. Right. Keep it down, will ya?" Ashli yawned as she struggled and eventually rolled onto her right side and faced the wall.

"Sure thing." Link smiled a bit and then looked back at Fi with more serious expression.

There was silence for a moment. They waited until gentle snoring could be heard and then picked their conversation back up.

Link raised his left index finger to his lips in a hushing manor and then pointed to the uncovered trapdoor that led to the cellar where he had gotten the emergency potions from.

Fi nodded in understanding as Link slowly lifted the hatch in the floorboards. He then grabbed a lantern in the corner and lit it with the small matchbook he had used to light the wood in the fireplace.

The hidden cellar was dark and looked like a bottomless pit. It had an old wooden ladder attached to one of the walls for someone climb up or down. It could probably only support about one person at a time, any more and it would collapse.

Link attached the lantern to his belt and began to climb down the narrow passage into the cellar. Fi somehow teleported to the bottom and beat him there.

"As you were saying?" Link sighed as he detached the lantern from his belt and examined the claustrophobic confines of the basement. The walls were lined with old wooden shelves that had jars and bottles of haphazard supplies within them. Some of the jars appeared to be decades old, so there was no telling how long they had been sitting down there in the dark and cold holding room.

Fi nodded. "Right. You must return to the castle and enter the royal garden. That is where you will find the tool that you need to free this land of Ghirahim and his master, Demise."

Link's eyes widened after hearing the information. "The castle? The royal garden? A tool?"

His memory flashed back to the specific spot that Zelda had shown him when they were children. _No way._

"What tool?" Link asked curiously as he continued to think about the specific spot Zelda had shown him many years before.

Fi docked her head to the side and then ran a curious hand through her long, silver hair, watching the yellow light illuminate it. "The Master Sword."

"What? But I thought the sword was resting in the Sacred Grove!" Link snapped. "That's what everyone says. The Hero of Twilight put the sword to rest back in its rightful place."

"It was moved in secret." Fi explained, remaining monotone and unemotional. "It was moved by the Hero's illegitimate son, in fears that the sword would be disturbed by _'looky lous',_ as he called them."

"Wait, if you were sleeping inside the sword, how do you know that?" Link raised an eyebrow.

Fi tapped her temple. "It seems that I have a few memories of Princess Zola's, as well as my own."

"So what about this, illegitimate son...?"

"Princess Zola, honourable granddaughter of King Laertes the First. Laertes was the illegitimate son of the Hero of Twilight and Queen Zelda the Sixth." Fi explained. Her eyes were closed and her face was creased with focus. She was trying to dig into the memory of a person who had long since left the world of the living.

"So... Zelda is related to the Hero of Twilight!?" Link swallowed hard a bit. He didn't know why he cared about that so much. In fact, his unjustified affection for the young monarch was strange to him. He still had a bit of a thing for her, but he knew that they were both different people, especially at this point in time. He had become smitten with someone he could never be with and had not been close to in a very long time. In his heart, he still held a special place for the sheltered princess that told him everything about everything almost every day for seven years.

Link reached his left hand onto his right shoulder blade and winced a bit, remembering the flogging he had received while in the castle dungeon, and how Zelda had somehow healed him with the upmost ease.

Fi's face was still stoic but she somehow spoke with a strand wave of recognition to Link's words. "Zelda?"

Link blushed a bit as he scratched the back of his head. Alas he was back to his humble servant boy mannerisms for a moment. It was probably because he remembered when things were simpler and why he had actually fallen for Zelda. "Uh, yeah."

"I see." Fi nodded, not sure of what was really wrong with her master.

Link glanced at Fi for a moment and watched as the flickering light of the lantern made her silver hair glow. "So, why do you look like that?"

Fi rose her hands up a bit and examined them curiously. "While you were away, I was able to create an appropriate reason using the small pieces of Zola's memory that I have and some of my own."

"Care to share?" Link smiled a bit.

"Ghirahim appeared again in the castle for a second time, as a traveling salesman, going by the name of Ira. Prince Zolo and Princess Zola had heard stories of Ghirahim from their grandfather and made the connection between the two. They knew that the Master Sword had been moved into the castle, and they believed, since they were related to the Hero of Twilight, that they would be able to raise the sword and use it to destroy the devil." Fi explained. She did not seem to be speaking in her normal pattern. It was as if she was reading the information from a transcript that had been penned by an out of character ghostwriter. "They ran to the royal garden and found where the sword had been put to rest. Ghirahim killed Zolo and collected his life force, and Zola kept running towards the blade. The princess tripped and fell to her knees, but was able to wrap her hand around the hilt. While her hand was on the sword, Ghirahim attempted to steal her life force as well and seal the vexed portion of her soul into Demise's sword, thus taking his place as the sword's spirit. But when he did this, he also sealed my spirit within Demise's sword."

"Zola acted as a type of conductor." Link looked at the ground pensively. "It was through her that your spirit was sucked out of the sword and placed into the other one."

Fi nodded again. "Yes. Since I am an eternal being, created by the divine, my spirit overpowered that of Zola's mortal one. I detect a seventy five percent chance that while in the blade my physical form changed because of her and the malice that the weapon carried."

"So what happened to Zola's soul?" Link asked.

Fi shook her head. "There is a ninety five percent chance that it is stuck in an everlasting state of limbo."

Being stuck in limbo meant being stuck between the heavens and the underworld. A soul that was doomed to wander in limbo for eternity was often considered to be the unluckiest of sorts. Some religious types said that being stuck in perpetual limbo was a fate worse than any type of hell as the soul was forced to wait for a decision that would never be made.

Fi did not pay attention to Link's sudden sorry expression. Instead she urged him to move forward. "Master, I suggest you hurry to the castle as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the stronger Ghirahim will get."

Link attached the lantern to his belt and began to scale the latter, deeming the conversation as finished. "I can't. Ashli needs me here."

Fi floated upward, next to Link. "Master, I urge you to leave here as soon as possible."

Link hopped out of cellar and slowly closed the trapdoor. He then unhooked the lantern from his belt and snuffed out the small flame within it and placed it on the table. He looked at Fi in distress and then looked back at his friend who was sound asleep. "I can't just do that."

"Very well. But please remember what task you must complete." Fi nodded stoically and then faded into blue sparkles.

Link had to accept the fact that the spirit was real. It was too strange to be doubted. Hyrule was a strange land, and Link had experienced strange things. At this point, nothing was too bizarre or too farfetched for the young hero to believe.

* * *

The platoon of knights road onward into Faron Woods. The hounds continued to waddle quickly and bark as they tried to find one of Hyrule's greatest bounty hunters. The men on horseback coughed and sighed and cursed under their breaths as they felt that they were going in circles in the never ending forest.

But, eventually the hounds rushed towards a single tree on the far right of the beaten path. They howled and bayed up the tree's trunk and scratched at its roots with their claws. Their noses pointed straight upward as they continued to make noise.

"What's going on there?" the Captain of the Guard asked the huntsman.

"They got something. Stay back." The huntsman said stoically as he dismounted his white horse and shuffled towards the dogs.

"Alright, we got her now!" one of the knights cheered. "Might as well give up, Guinevere!"

"Caught like a cat up a tree! A fitting end to Hyrule's stray cat." Another knight cheered.

The Captain of the Guard looked back and hushed. "Don't get cocky, men! You know damn well that she could kill us all given the right vantage point!"

The huntsman then whistled at the knights. He waved a green pointed cap in one hand, and an arrow in the other. "Ay, these belong to her?"

The Captain of the Guard widened his eyes. There was perfect silence before he shouted. "It's a trap! She knew we'd come for her!"

Suddenly a barrage of arrows glided gracefully through the air like a flock of birds zeroing in on prey. The knights all ducked down and hugged their horses tightly, thus dodging the attack. The arrows flew into the other side of the forest and smacked into trees and rocks.

"I don't suppose any of you fine gentlemen could help a lady with her aim?" a woman's voice sighed from the top of one of the trees within the area.

Every knight in the small platoon began to shake in fear and bumble like a baby, everyone except the Captain of the Guard and the hired man tracker. The huntsman almost fainted when he heard the woman's voice, his hounds growled as they tried to sniff out the person the voice belonged to.

"Guinevere, is that you? Show yourself!" the Captain of the Guard yelled.

"Fine." The voice sighed. A quick flash of dark green dropped out of out of the obscure trees straight ahead of the platoon.

The hounds barked as they ran up to the bounty hunter, but seemed to approach with a bit of caution.

"How did you evade the dogs?" the huntsman questioned in astonishment.

Guinevere looked around calmly and sighed. "I have this whole area rigged up for such an occasion. I have buried and hidden various pieces of my clothing and personal belongings throughout the forest, in case work ever tried to follow me home. Looks like it worked after all."

"You're under arrest, Guinevere!" the Captain of the Guard shouted.

The bounty hunter raised her thin, brown eyebrows in surprise. "Whatever for? I assure you, my licenses are up to date."

"For the kidnapping of her majesty, the queen!" the Captain retorted.

Guinevere frowned in annoyance and adjusted her belt that appeared to change colour from a muddy brown to a wicked, dark purple. "You've got to be kidding. I saved her royal ass from certain death! You can ask her yourself! She begged for me not to leave her on her own and she followed me back here! I didn't kidnap anybody! She followed me here!"

"I don't buy it." One of the knights mumbled.

"Well that's the story I'm selling, loser!" Guinevere hissed.

The Captain of the Guard raised his armoured hand, asking for silence. "Where is she now?"

"In Ordon."

"With who?"

"My family."

"Well, you better pray to the gods that she's alright!"

"I know she is. Nothing bad ever happens in Ordon. Why do you think I spend so little time there? Nothing _ever_ happens!" Guinevere rolled her eyes as she whistled for her horse. "I'll even be kind enough to escort you to her."

The knights were astounded by Guinevere. The Captain of the Guard nodded quickly as he led his troops onward.

"Shall I send word to the castle using one of the falcons?" one of the knights asked.

"Yes." Said the captain. "Do it."

* * *

Link sat still in the silence of the cabin. He thought about what Fi had said to him. In his heart he was drawn to returning to the castle, but he also felt the need to stay by his friend's side. He held himself responsible for what had happened to Ashli. And though she would most likely be okay, he still felt awful about putting her life in danger.

"Why?" Ashli's raspy voice wheezed, garnering Link's attention.

"Pardon me?" Link looked over his shoulder to see Ashli staring at him in anguish.

"Why did you save me?" Ashli coughed a bit. "I told you to leave me, you idiot."

Link's eyes shook a bit in his head in surprise at his friend's sudden questions. "I couldn't leave you there!"

"Would have been better if you had." Ashli coughed and then extended her hand towards her legs. "Look at me! I'll never walk again!"

Link swallowed hard as he tried to prevent his eyes from welling with tears of guilt. "No one gets left behind..."

"This is a fate worse than death, Jack. I'll never be able to go out and continue my research like this! I'm nothing but a cripple." Ashli scolded as she tried to elevate herself on her elbows. "I'd rather be dead."

Link bowed his head in even greater guilt. He had saved Ashli's life, but he had also ruined it. "I'm sorry."

"Saying sorry will not fix my legs." Ashli groaned before flopping back down onto her back.

"I don't know what else to say..."

"Shut up." Ashli mumbled before struggling to roll herself back onto her right side, and away from Link.

Link looked at his hands and balled his fists in anger. He was angry with not only himself or at Ashli for being unreasonable. He was just straight up angry for no reason. Link had some form of unjustified rage boiling his blood. Perhaps it was how it seemed that everything Link came into contact with went straight to hell. Nothing seemed to ever go right for the former kitchen boy.

He pressed his fists to his mouth and whispered to himself. "Am I not supposed to be happy?"

But with this question and with this rage, Link decided to feed the fire that was his hatred towards Ghiarhim. When the time came for them to once again cross paths, Link knew that Ghirahim would feel the blunt force of all of his burning emotion.

* * *

**Review it! Vote on the poll! Again, I'm gearing up for the final chapters and I need to get these informative chapters out of the way. I plan on having the next chapter as a Ghirahim-heavy chapter.**


	36. A Magician's Mischief

_(A/N: A lot has gone on this past week, I must say. A lot has been said in the last few days as well. Therefore, all I will say is hug somebody you love as soon as humanly possible. Much love! xoxo–Infamous 4/19/13)_

* * *

**Act 36: **_**A Magician's Mischief **_

The high winds of Hyrule blew strongly on the rooftops of the castle. The expensive silk flags that were roosted on the tops of steeples whipped wildly in the breeze and would have easily blown away had they not been attached to steel poles.

The rooftops were one of Mihari's favourite places to perch and think about what he would do next. But on this occasion, he was not thinking, he was acting.

"Aren't you just gorgeous?" Mihari chuckled as he finished tying the unconscious Gordo to the spire of one of the castle tower steeples. He gently patted the handsome suitor on the cheek and smiled. "Now you be a good boy and wait here. I'll be back to get you when I'm ready for you. I hope you aren't afraid of heights. Ah, what does that matter? You won't be yourself for much longer anyway and my master knows no fear!"

Gordo groaned a bit after Mihari stopped speaking.

Mihari fickly furrowed his brow. "Oh come on now. You should be honoured, my dear lad. It's not every day that one gets to donate their body to the ruler of the world, you know. Of course this means your soul will be stuck in never ending limbo... but hey, you can't always have your cake and eat it. I of all people would know!"

Gordo groaned again.

Mihari licked his lips a bit as he raised his right hand and got ready to snap his fingers and disappear. "Why so noisy? I know! You can barely contain your excitement for our little party, hm? Well, neither can I."

And with that, one solid snap of his fingers, and Mihari was whisked away in a wall of vibrate yet eerie, yellow and purple diamonds.

The magician appeared moments later in Zelda's private office, standing behind her desk. He hastily sifted through a pile of unsigned documents and then a stack of mail. Despite putting people in charge while she was away, Zelda still had some homework she would need to attend to as soon as she arrived home.

Everything from reviewing and approving designated hunting area borders to Hyrule's astrological society asking for royal funding for new telescopes. Mihari was quite surprised by the amount of requests for the royal signature there actually were.

"My, she is a busy little bee. I'm sure her godly ancestor would be _thrilled_." Mihari chuckled as he chaotically threw the papers and envelopes across the desk and onto the floor. He was indeed looking for something, and when he found what he was looking for, he smiled.

"Ah, this letter is from the Imperial Office of the Emperor of Vidla. This will do." Mihari laughed as he tore open the enveloped and examined its contents. "A request for a peace treaty signing! Lovely!"

Mihari then yanked open one of the desk drawers and dug out a fresh piece of paper. He then sat down in Zelda's chair, licked his lips and reached for the quill pen in the left corner that was poking out of a small jar of black ink. The magician then began to write.

* * *

_Dearest Emperor Claude,_

_You are a sniffling moron to think that Hyrule would negotiate any sort of peace with your pathetic wannabe kingdom._

_If you want to fight, bring it on._

_Yours truly, _

_Queen Zelda VII of Hyrule._

* * *

Mihari laughed like a child at the immature memo he had quickly scribed. He was able to mimic Zelda's writing, right down to her signature. He looked around the desk for the royal signet ring so he could put the wax seal on the letter and make it 'official', but he could not find it.

"Where is that damn ring!?" Mihari growled as he dug through the desk drawers again and again. "Did she hide it? It's too big for her little fingers... unless... she got it resized, and she's wearing it right now. Damn it!"

Mihari slammed the drawers closed and crumpled up his note and threw it into the unlit hearth of the fireplace to be burned at a later date. He slapped his forehead with his hand and sighed. "Well, so much for creating more crises. Too bad. I really wanted to start a little war just so I could make the queen's pretty, little head spin like a top as it would have been most exquisite to watch."

* * *

In front of the Hero of Twilight's former home and practice grounds, Zelda and Hector walked with their arms gracefully linked together like a courteous couple at a ball. The conversation was generally light, Zelda tried to keep Hector off of the topic of her natural born career and onto the simpler things.

Zelda had a lot of questions about Ordon, and it would no longer seem strange for her to ask them since she was the queen and it was her right to know what was going on in a part of her kingdom that had been devastated by extreme weather.

Of course, in between question periods, Hector tried to change the subject to Zelda.

"That's an awful nice ring you got there, majesty." Hector commented on the small, gold signet ring on Zelda's right ring finger. "Solid Goron brand gold?"

"Of course. It's indestructible." Zelda nodded as she glanced at the small trinket on her finger.

Hector quickly inspected Zelda's finger like a curious child. "That's another dead giveaway, you know. It has the coat of arms and it's made of the best gold money can buy. I don't know how many peasants use signets."

Zelda again snapped her hand back from Hector. "It's a family ring. I can't just pawn it off!"

"I wasn't saying that... I just thought that it would be a good idea to maybe hide it, along with that little marking on your hand." Hector sighed as he guided Zelda back to the Ordon Tavern. "The last thing you want is for my mother to recognize you. She'll fuss over you so much that it'll make you sick."

"Well at least she cares, right? You really don't know how luck you are." Zelda sighed a bit.

Before Hector could respond to his distant cousin, one of the local neighbourhood watchmen came running down the path panting like a dog. "Hector! Hector!"

"Hm? What is it?" Hector raised an eyebrow, pulling his arm away from Zelda's grip.

The watchman panted, his thinning black hair flung around as he leaned over and rested his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. "H-H-Hector, thank goodness."

Hector turned and looked at his comrade in concern. "Arty, what's the matter? You look like you just encountered a beast."

"Hector! It's your sister! She's attacking a bunch of knights in the woods! She's gone crazy!" the watchman shouted as he lunged forward and grabbed Hector's shoulder in panic. "Do something!"

"Guinevere is doing what!?" Hector gasped a bit as his eyes shot open. He then looked back at Zelda and gave her a knowing glance. "Maj-Helen, get back to the tavern! I'll meet you there. I'll go and see what's going on with my sister."

Zelda raised her hand in protest. For some reason, Zelda wished to go with Hector. In her mind, she hadn't done anything to help anyone and thought this would be a decent chance to make up for that. "But I'm her apprentice. Shouldn't I come with you?"

Hector ran his right hand through his blond ringlets of hair in distress. He then guided his hand back onto the hilt of the sheathed sword that he wore on his back and gripped it tightly for reassurance. "No, go back to the tavern. Tell my mum what's going on and tell her alert my father and brother as soon as possible."

"But I can help!" Zelda whined a bit, disliking the fact that she once again felt useless. "Let me go back to the tavern and grab my bow!"

Hector looked at Arty and nodded. The watchman nodded back and laughed a bit. "There's no arguing with a lady who has her mind set. Just let her come along Hector. She said she's your sister's apprentice, so she might as well get used to things like this. Besides, your sister wouldn't have blindly picked someone off the road to be her pack mule."

"Oh you'd be surprised." Hector mumbled, but not nearly loud enough for anyone to hear.

Zelda anxiously looked at her distant cousin, hoping he would let her go with him.

"Right then." Hector drew his sword quickly and authoritatively pointed it at Zelda. "Meet us at the welcome sign in five minutes. If you aren't there, we'll leave without you. If we do that, do not follow us. You'll probably get lost in the bush and then we'd have another problem on our hands."

Zelda nodded and her blonde ponytail bounced a bit as she turned and began to jog further into Ordon and towards the tavern. "Okay! I'll meet you there!"

Hector and Arty watched her go. Hector slowly ran a worried hand down his face in dread. "Why do I feel like something very bad is going to happen?"

"Oh, Hector, don't worry so much! If I didn't know better, I'd think you're sweet on that girl." Arty teased as he patted Hector on the back.

Hector's face lit up with an embarrassed and annoyed shade of red. "Not a chance! Now let's get going!"

* * *

Mihari still creepily lurched over Zelda's desk and appeared to be perplexed with his own thoughts and frustrations.

"Okay, let's see if I can remember the seal design I need to do for soul transfers." Mihari's seductive voice whispered as he inked out different shapes and swirls onto a large piece of parchment. He would draw the shape as soon as he mentioned them. "Hmmm... I believe it is a large square with a circle inside of it with an upside down triangle inside of the circle. Then you draw a large 'X' through it from corner to corner of the square."

He lifted the quill and raised his eyebrows in uncertainty before violently scratching the drawing of random shapes out. "I posed as a magician for such a long time that one would think I could remember basic black magic! That's the seal for instant death! Thank goodness I tested this out first. I can't have the vessel die on me."

Mihari tried again. "It's a large square with an upside down triangle inside of it and there's a small diamond inside of the triangle. Then you run the 'X' from corner to corner of the small diamond and at the point of intersection you draw a small black circle!"

Mihari lifted the quill pen and then licked his lips in satisfaction, clearly seeing something he liked. "That's it! And then you perform the ritual."

The dark magician tossed the pen aside and slammed his right hand down on the diagram and grinned as he began to chant something in a rather unnerving and unknown tongue. Just hearing the chant being repeated would have been enough to drive the most sensible man mad as it was so ludicrous and senseless that it would truly baffle the brain.

Odd, purple streams of smoke rose up from around the demon's fingertips and appeared to burn the parchment on which his hand was placed. The fancy white gloves that he adored so much, disintegrated in mere seconds, revealing the skin on his arms as a mixture between an unsettling black and brown.

But the blackish-brown skin did not stop there. Ridged lines grew up from his left arm and began to take over the left side of his face like a bad rash. He seemed to get some sort of arousal out of this as his devious grin only grew in size.

Apparently soul transference was not the only thing the seal was capable of. By drawing on the spirit energy of the souls he had stolen, Mihari was somehow able to change his form.

He eventually lifted his hand from the paper, but his grin did not subside. Mihari flipped his snow white hair back and cackled. "This form will be plenty suitable for what I wish to do. Special thanks go out to all those generous souls that I have collected over the years. Without them, this level of beauty would not be possible!"

The magician looked down at Zelda's desk to see a large hole burned through the parchment where the diagram had been drawn and through the solid oak desk. Mihari only chuckled as he looked at his hands in narcissistic pleasure. "It's been too long since I have been able to bear witness to such elegance! Such finesse! Such splendour! Oh I love it!"

He inhaled deeply and his eyes grew bolder as he balled his hands into fists. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment and a troublesome thought crossed his mind. "Where is my master's sword? I need it now! That bumbling buffoon, Gregor should have delivered it long ago! Unless..."

A most taxing thought enter the magician's train of thought. "What if... while that petty kitchen boy was in the desert he tampered with it?"

Mihari's aroused grin transformed into a toothy scowl that caused his teeth to chatter in rage. His eye teeth seemed to sharpen to the standard to that of a rapid dog. His whole body shook with fury as he tried to contain his emotions. He flipped his hair back once more and tried to calm himself. "I must go and look for myself and ease my mind."

He snapped his fingers and dissolved once more into his usual wall of yellow and purple diamonds, abandoning Zelda's office in ruin.

* * *

Mihari reappeared seconds later in the hole in the ground in the desert. It was the same hole that Link and Gregor had walked through to get into the tunnel that led to the secret chamber under the Arbiter's Grounds.

The magician narrowed his eyes as the sun beamed down harshly on him. He glanced around at the empty and abandoned dig site in dismay. The debris filled winds of the desert had filled in the once fresh tracks in the sand left behind by Link and Gregor, leaving nothing but the odd indent in the sand that could have been naturally made.

"No one has been here in quite some time. I don't like this." Mihari grumbled as he crossed his arms and began to walk towards the tunnel.

He snapped his fingers and made a small, floating, hot pink flame appear next to him, so he would not get lost in the dark. The flame was smokeless as it followed closely beside the magician in the darkness.

No thoughts traveled through Mihari's sick mind during his trek down the tunnel. He knew exactly where to go and did not need a map to guide him. He walked with his usual smug confidence with his chin held high. If he had any sort of doubt or worry, he did not let it shine through.

But thoughts did flow when the dark magician reached a caved in section of the tunnel.

"What the hell is this!?" Mihari shouted, his eyes filled with sickened rage. "That worthless little worm _has_ been here! He touched the sword and caused this!"

He looked at the ground and saw small indents from boots that seemed to be running away from the rubble. "That little castle rat got away! He's still out there and he's alive! I just know he's alive! Castle rats are difficult to get rid of."

Mihari snapped his fingers again and teleported out of the darkened tunnel and back in the abandoned hole in the sandy earth in the desert.

"Calm down, Ghirahim... he could have been swallowed up by the desert. Yes, swallowed by this unforgiving, useless, dried up, cesspool!" Mihari hissed like a scorned snake as his body continued to shake with rage.

His glanced around madly, hoping to find proof of his hypothesis but found none. There were some rusty shovels and pick axes lying about on the ground, along with some old lanterns. But aside from these items and a dusty old canteen, there was nothing that would indicate someone had been living in the hole.

"Must have run out of here and into the abyss." Mihari cleared his throat, trying to stay calm.

"Ey, what you doing down there, bub? No use in going down that there tunnel, she collapsed a while ago." called a man's voice. "Who are ye talking to anyway?"

Mihari looked up and squinted at the sunlight to see three hooded individuals looking down at him. "Get lost, you lowlife scum!"

"What did you call us?" shouted the female of the trio. She produced a throwing knife from the inside of her cloak and hurled it at Mihari. "Pray for mercy, you freak, and be victim of the Faron Few!"

Mihari raised a finger and stopped the knife in mid-air. "Hmph, simple tricks."

The trio pulled back their hood in astonishment of the magician. "Whoa!"

The dark magician watched the trio for a moment and did not pay attention to the levitating knife that slowly rotated clockwise. "You want this back?" He then flicked his finger in their direction and sent the knife spiraling back towards the red hair woman that threw it. It plunged into her breast plate and sent her falling to the ground and into the sandy pit in which Mihari stood.

"That should teach you not to play with kitchen utensils." Mihari snapped his tongue out quickly and looked at the two men. "Gentlemen, unless you want to end up like your chatty Kathy friend here, I suggest you cooperate!"

The men nodded quickly like terrified schoolgirls, causing Mihari's grin to return.

"I am looking for a young man with blond hair who may possibly be wearing a ridiculous outfit." Mihari explained. "He is from the castle and was banished by the queen."

The men looked at each other, unsure if they should speak or not.

Mihari snapped his fingers and disappeared from his place in the hole, but then reappeared behind the men. He quickly grabbed hold of their shoulders and leaned his head between theirs. "It is not nice to keep secrets."

The blond man with scars on his face looked at Mihari in horror. "L-Link? Is his name Link?"

Mihari widened his eyes and snapped his tongue out. "Yes, it is. Of course, we at the castle do not address slaves so casually."

"He-he went to Snowpeak!" shouted the blond haired man in fear. "I sent him there on behalf of our group to see what Guinevere was doing up there!"

Mihari let go of the brown haired man and focused on the blond. He grabbed his shoulders tightly and cut off circulation as he turned the blond man around and looked deep into his eyes. He shouted and roared as his tongue snapped out and saliva flew onto the man's scarred face. "Where at Snowpeak is he!? Tell me now!"

The blond haired man with scars felt his life flash before his eyes. He truly thought the dark magician would tear his arms off and beat him to death with him. Mihari's grip on the man's shoulders was very tight indeed. His boney fingers dug into the man's flesh like devious little spider fangs.

"I don't know! I just told him to have a look around!" the man replied in fear. His eyes released small tears from their corners. "Don't kill me! We only escorted him out of the desert, so I don't know what he did after that! For all I know he may not even be at Snowpeak!"

The magician raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You helped a convicted criminal? That is worth the death sentence you know! You went against the queen's wishes! You'll hang for this!"

The men cowered in fear of being killed by the magician, but yet death did not come to them.

Mihari let go of the blond man and stepped back and sighed. "I will spare you two lowlifes for supplying me with some trivial information. You are lucky that I know some very powerful people who will overlook this. Besides, you are close to death now as it is. I mean, you're the scum of the earth, it doesn't get any closer to death than that!"

"Oh, thank the goddesses!" the brown hair man sighed with relief.

Before Mihari snapped his fingers again he raised his brow in offence. "How dare you thank _them_! You should be thanking _me_! _I'm_ the one who truly spared _you_!"

"It's just a figure of speech!" the blond hair man reasoned.

Mihari snapped his fingers and made two red, diamond shaped projectiles appear out of thin air. He waved his hand forward and sent the small missiles at the men, striking them both in the throat.

Blood soaked the sand like rain soaked the earth as the two outlaws fell to the ground and died. Mihari unmercifully watched as the two men choked and coughed out their last few breaths.

The demon lord was back and his blood lust was just as unhealthy as it was supposed to be. His teeth were bear and his ambitions were high. He would go to Snowpeak, find Link and end his life before he could meddle in his plans any further.

* * *

And eventually there he stood in the cold, blowing winds of Snowpeak, mere seconds after murdering the outlaws in cold blood.

"I've forgotten how damn cold it is here." The magician trembled a bit at the blitzing snow blowing into his face. "I haven't been here since that little summoning experiment I did about a year ago. I wonder if that pitiful creature is still around."

He slowly glanced left and right, trying to take in all of the sights around him. It was a barren wasteland of snow and he had no idea as to where Link was hiding. Mihari only knew that the former kitchen boy was more than likely somewhere in the area as he was rather adept in sensing the presence of most troublemaking of individuals.

"Where are you, my little castle rat?" Mihari hissed as he crossed his arms to embrace himself to keep warm. Even the most heinous demons could feel a change in temperature and disliked cool climates. Mihari then wandered down the small, remote ridge and began his bloody quest for Link.

The dark irises of his eyes were lined with obsession and hate. He would not stop his search until all of the snow on the grounds of Snowpeak had melted and revealed the hard, dead earth beneath it. It was more than a quest for blood and more than a quest to complete his mission. It was a quest to do something he should have personally done in the first place; kill the chosen hero.

* * *

**Review it! Vote on the poll. Sorry about the length compared to the last few chapters. It's been a crazy week in all respects. I am now working on a script for a school play. Writing is starting to become a big balancing act, as I also like write my own original works alongside this, and I now have a large script to do (which is proving to be very stressful as I must do things carefully in order to please everyone and their egos)... along with my other school stuff.**


	37. Findings

_(A/N: There's a lot of different stuff going on in this chapter. I consider it to be where all the stars begin to align for the finale. Just saying. –Infamous 4/28/13)_

* * *

**Act 37: **_**Findings **_

Ashli sulked in her misery as she glanced over at Link. "Grab that tall book with the yellow spine off the shelf over there..."

"What?" Link's eyes lit up.

"The yellow spine. Bring it over here." Ashli sighed as she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at like with a pained expression.

Link did as his friend requested. He wandered to the far side of the cabin and slid the yellow spined book out of its confines on the end of the bottom self of the bookcase. He examined the cover and saw that it was a worn down brown colour and had _'Hyrule Through the Ages'_ written on it in a faded black ink.

Link held the book up for Ashli to recognize it. "This one?"

"Yeah. Bring it here." Ashli ordered with a wheeze.

Link obliged and sat on a stool near Ashli's bedside and then handed her the old book.

She flipped the book open and removed a large piece of paper from somewhere in the middle of it. She then threw it at Link without saying a word.

"What's this?" Link asked.

"A map that I made for marking down areas of interest. The tunnel you so desperately seek should be marked on there in green ink." Ashli explained. "Take it and go."

Link shouldn't have been surprised by Ashli's harsh tone, but yet he still was. "What?"

"Hit the road Jack, I don't want you around anymore. Don't you get it?" Ashli snarled. "You aren't my friend, you aren't my ally. You're nothing but a bad luck charm! You ruined my life! Now get out of this cabin, get out of Snowpeak and get out of my life!"

Link's back straightened at this. A part of him did want to argue, but another part was against it. He wished to tell Ashli off right then and there, but could not do it. He truly hated confrontation and hated feuding.

Ashli then hushed Link before he could speak up again. "Just go."

Link unfolded the dirty paper and looked at what was scribbled on it. It was crude map of Snowpeak that had different colours of inked in shapes on it. It was probably one of the only maps of Snowpeak in existence. Link knew it would be accurate as Ashli had drawn on it and corrected it for reference. There were patches drawn in a scribbled, black ink, marking where the map was inaccurate. They were corrected with crimson, red ink, showing alternate routes or the correct location of certain landmarks.

Link's eyes trailed along the paper until he saw a large circle of green around the base of a hillside. "Is this it?" he pointed at the scribble and showed the map to Ashli.

"Yes!" Ashli barked. "Now will you get out of here!?"

Link straightened his back up and bit his lower lip in uncertainty. He said nothing and did not utter an objecting sound. He tightly gripped the map, folded it up and placed it inside his tunic with the stolen tunnel map that Gregor had given him not long before.

He did not argue, he did not whine, he did not object to Ashli's wishes as he knew it was what his friend truly wanted. He merely nodded to her before grabbing a brown cloak off the coat hook, quickly throwing it over himself and pushing open the cabin door.

Link did not look back to see if Ashli was watching him, but he could sense prying eyes gazing at him from across the room and he knew she was.

"Thanks for everything..." Link murmured as he stepped into the snowy path outside the door and then swiftly slammed it behind himself.

Link took a deep breath of the frigidly, thin mountain air and felt it once again grip his lungs and take them prisoner to ultimate discomfort. He then exhaled out a puff of white fog. His breath was already frozen, not that he found it surprising.

"Here we go!" the young hero huffed as he adjusted the small string that held the cloak together near his breast plate. He then took his first few steps out into the barren, snowy landscape.

He remembered the compass that Zelda's messenger had supplied him with before he was shuttled out of the castle in secret. It came in handy, especially when Link needed to know what direction he was going in.

Link pulled the compass out of his pocket and watched the pin inside wobble around nervously, as if it were unsure of where true north was located. When the pin in the compass did not cease the unsure wobbling, Link took this as a bad omen.

"Strange. Something is throwing it off." Link creased his brow shrewdly as he put the compass back in his pocket. "I don't like this. Could it be the strange tunnel that Ashli was telling me about?"

* * *

"Miss. Helen, dear, what is going on?" Althea, mother of Hector and Guinevere, sung as she wiped down a table. "Why the hurry?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I must be going!" Zelda replied, not wanted to even answer the cheerful and somewhat chubby woman's question.

Zelda gripped her ancestor's bow tightly in her hand and then remembered she did not have any arrows. She cursed under her breath. "Damn it..."

"Pardon me, sweetheart?" Althea asked. She had stopped wiping down the table and began to approach the young queen. "Are you feeling alright?"

The short, stocky barmaid waddled over to Zelda. At this point, Zelda had small beads of nervous sweat rolling on her forehead. For some reason the young monarch stopped and wished to humour Althea. It was probably Zelda's royal side taking over; the ability to entertain people even when you had other things to do was a gift and a curse.

"Fine!" Zelda nodded as Althea rested a doting, motherly hand on the young queen's forehead.

"Oh mercy me! You're burning up!" the barmaid gasped. "You're running a fever!"

Zelda tried not to roll her eyes. She enjoyed the woman's sentiments, but she really needed to leave. She knew Hector would stay true to his word; it was an emergency after all and he was one of neighbourhood watchmen.

"I must be going, ma'am!" Zelda backed away towards the door and saw a small quiver of arrows hanging up on a hook. The floorboards squeaked and creaked in objection, as if they were trying to tell Zelda that she needed to tell Althea about Guinevere.

"Where are you going with a weapon? What is going on, dear?" Althea argued and pointed at the bow that Zelda held tightly within the grip of her right hand. "Leave the fighting to the men!"

Zelda widened her eyes a bit as the barmaid's daughter was an infamous bounty hunter. "What about your daughter?"

"Oh, my Gwyn was always a bit of a tomboy. That's probably why so many boys fell for her. She had the looks and the skills... but never the heart." Althea sighed a bit in disappointment, as if she had failed her own child. "Years ago, if you told me that out of all my children, it would be a daughter that was the one with incredible combat prowess, among other things, I would have called you crazy!"

Zelda glanced around the tavern to see that no one was there. It was empty, except for an old tabby cat that waddled around like it had gotten into the gin. This when Zelda saw a chance to get out of the bar without making too big of a scene.

"What's wrong with your cat?" Zelda questioned as the animal stumbled around under the tables.

Althea turned around and gasped. "Oh, Mr. Wiggles! You got into the sauce again, didn't you?"

While Althea scolded the cat for actually drinking alcohol, Zelda swung the tavern door open and ran out of the building after grabbing the quiver off of the hook.

"Bad kitty!" Althea scolded before turning to see Zelda running off and her blonde ponytail bouncing freely. "She can't be leaving already!"

* * *

Screams from inside the Faron Woods could be faintly heard. Hector and his ally had gathered up a few other watchmen and were now waiting at Ordon's borderline. They all stood around with serious frowns on their faces, angry that they had to wait.

"We should just go!" One man with circular glasses and brown hair hissed as he crossed his arms and leaned against the welcome sign. "I can't wait any longer!"

"We're waiting for some little girl? Hector, is this some kind of joke!?" Another man that had buck teeth and auburn hair barked.

"Where's your father? Does he know about this frivolity?" the man with glasses questioned.

Hector only sighed at the watchmen and their comments. "Just another minute. If she doesn't show up, we'll leave."

Secretly, Hector was divided on whether he wanted Zelda to come or not. His mind was saying that it would be best for her to stay back and wanted her to be late to the party, but his heart told him otherwise. In his heart he wanted to give his distant cousin a chance. He knew it would be dangerous, but she would know full well if what she was about to do was unsafe.

Before Hector gave the order to the watchmen to move on across the bridge, a girly yell was heard from within the village.

"Hector!" Zelda shouted, waving the bow in the air like a mad woman. "Don't leave yet!"

Hector felt a hopeless grin crack the corner of his mouth. "You actually made it."

"Oh well thank heavens! Let's get a move on!" groaned the man with buck teeth as he began to run across the wooden bridge that connected Faron to Ordon with other watchmen following suit.

Zelda nodded at Hector with dangerous eyes. "Let's go."

Hector's small grin subsided as he and Zelda jogged behind team of watchmen. He murmured to his distant cousin with a worried tone. "If things get hairy, you need to hide, majesty."

"It'll be fine, Hector." Zelda reassured as she glanced down at her bow and felt the canyon's wind blow through her hair. "I am armed, after all."

Hector glanced at Zelda's bow quickly and coughed a bit. "Grandpa's bow."

"It was a gift from the people of Kakariko." Zelda explained quickly as they reached the other side of the swaying bridge.

"I reckon you know how to shoot." Hector chuckled a bit as he looked at the small quiver that Zelda wore on her back.

The other watchmen had disappeared into the thick of the woods and before Zelda could respond, a bloodcurdling yell echoed from up ahead in the forest. Zelda froze in place in fear and shock. She could not bring herself to move another inch. It was as if she was possessed by some unseen force that stopped her from continuing forward. That unseen force was her deep rooted fear of seeing any more bloodshed.

"Men!?" Hector did not waste any time and sprinted into the woods without Zelda, not noticing that she was no longer by his side. Zelda watched her distant cousin unsheathe his sword and leap over some downed trees like an athlete jumping hurdles. He eventually vanished from her sight, leaving her alone.

Zelda somehow raised her right hand over her right shoulder and removed a single arrow from the quiver and loaded it into her bow. She slowly walked on the soggy grassland beneath her feet. She was shaking anxiously, waiting for something to jump out at her.

* * *

Infinite darkness. That was what awaited Link as he peered into the cold, dark tunnel in the side of a ridge. It was not too close, but not too far from Ashli's cabin. He had managed to find his way there rather quickly. Even though his compass refused to point north, Link still had the map that had been marked with various landmarks and he used it as a guide. It had served him well, but it would do little to help him while he hiked deeply into the dark.

"Better get a move on. The sooner I get this over with, the soon I can get back to the castle." Link took a ragged breath before bravely pressing onward once more. "Where's Fi?"

Yes, Link's spirit friend was no where to be seen. She had come and gone like a fair breeze on a summer's day. Link was surprised that she had not yet made her presence known. This troubled him more than he would let on.

There was very little light within the cave's confines. With no lantern, candle or matchbook of his own, Link was left to slowly reach out and the touch the cold, stone walls. He would walk and run his hand across the wall and use it as a guide for those blinded by the shadows.

At some point he felt sick to his stomach and almost felt the need to vomit up what little contents his stomach withheld. It was as if the darkness had struck unbounded fear into the young hero's belly, but he still continued onward.

* * *

The winds of Snowpeak had settled at Ashli's cabin, making it difficult for her to sleep. She was used to hearing the usual whistles and howls of the breeze as they lulled her into slumber.

She was alone in her thoughts. Though the yeti researcher was still in pain, she had sucked it up and tried to focus on other things. The red potion may have healed her wounds and whatever damage had been done her to internal organs, but it would never help her walk again.

"Maybe I was too hard on him..." Ashli sighed as she stared up at the wood paneling that separated the bottom bunk from the top one. "I mean, it's not like it was really his fault but... ah what are you saying Ashli!? It's good that he's gone! Get him off the mountain as soon as possible."

But who was Ashli kidding? She needed Link, she knew that but she would never admit it. She needed help getting down from Snowpeak and into Castle Town to see a decent doctor about her legs. She needed care from specialists and she was not in any shape to get up and leave on her own.

Before Ashli could begin drawing up plans for a homemade wheelchair, there was a knock at the door.

"Oh, so the hero comes back?" Ashli rolled her eyes. "Come in, it's open! I'm pretty sure you left it unlocked!"

The door swung open and a cold gust blew inside and extinguished the blaze within the fireplace; thus, plunging the modest cabin into darkness.

"Way to be, Jack!" Ashli groaned as she perched herself up on her elbows. "You can relight that now!"

There was no response from the person who Ashli thought was Link. A tall, slender and shadowy figure clicked its heels on the wooden planked floor.

"Jack?" Ashli swallowed hard, sensing her life to be in danger. She reached under the mattress and produced a small dagger. "Who the hell are you? Get out of my cabin or I'll cut your tongue out and then ram it down your windpipe!"

"Now, that isn't very ladylike, now is it?" a seductive male voice chuckled. There was then a slurping sound that one does when they lick their lips. "I'll have you know, that next to my hands, my tongue is my best feature."

Ashli was unable to move and unable to run as her legs would not move. She was at the mercy of the seductive voiced shadow.

"Now, tell me, have you seen a man named Link?" the figure quizzed.

* * *

After a few more minutes of walking around in the dark, Link saw a hazy, purple light emitting from a chamber not too far ahead.

He had the same sensation he had had while in the secret chamber under the Arbiter's Grounds. It was again as if all happiness in the world had been sucked away and replaced with apathy and depression.

The walls of the tunnel felt like they were closing in on Link and he panted out heavy, claustrophobic, breaths. He began speed walking, while still running his right hand on the wall to his right. Speed walking evolved into light jogging and eventually a strong sprint. He was doing whatever he had to do to get out of the tunnel that seemed to be closing in on him.

Eventually he did reach the end and he found the source of the strange, purple glow. It was a large, glass cauldron that emitted purple smoke.

"What in the world is this?" Link removed his pointed green cap in disbelief as he stared down into the cauldron to see what it contained.

Link swore he could hear the cries of people coming from within the smoking cauldron. It contained no visible contents and only produced a purple smoke.

"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Link mumbled as he backed away from the glass cauldron and looked to the walls to see them lined with weapons.

Everything from basic swords to chakrams hung up on hooks on the rock walls. The eerie purple light from the smoke made the weapons illuminate as if they were happy to be gazed upon with wondering eyes. They were not mere collector's items; they were trophies of some sort, possibly picked up by Guinevere after defeating certain individuals.

Link looked around the chamber and saw a simple sleeping bag with some canned food sitting next to it. It appeared that no one had been in the tunnel for a while, as the cinders in the makeshift fire pit were long since cooled and the sleeping bag was rolled up and strategically tied together with a piece of string.

"Someone has been living out of here though." Link furrowed his brow as he reached for a standard sword on the wall that he could wear on his back as usual. "Hopefully I don't lose this one."

He then saw a dusty, metal shield lying on the ground, face down. Link kicked it with his right foot suspiciously before leaning over and picking it up. It was a shield like the elite knights in Hyrule carried. It was a Hylian Shield.

Link dusted off the metal shield and traced the shapes out curiously with his finger. Everything from the small, yellow, Triforce symbol at the top to the large, red, bird at the bottom, it was exactly as Link had seen it on the shields of knights.

He quickly equipped the standard sword and the Hylian Shield to his back under his cloak. He only hoped that the infamous Guinevere would not notice that some of her things were missing, and if she did, that she would not be able to trace the items back to him.

Link looked back to the caldron as he swore he heard a familiar voice calling out of it. It was familiar, yet foreign, as if he had not heard the voice in a very long time. It was a female voice and it was soothing to Link's ears.

"_Hector?"_ the voice called nervously. It echoed through the chamber. _"Hector, where are you?"_

"That sounds like..." Link whispered. "Zelda?"

He hurried to the caldron and peered into it for a good five minutes. Within the clouds of smoke a scene began to materialize within the caldron. It was as if Link was a god looking down at the world below him through an all seeing looking glass.

There was a lone girl with a bow and a quiver full of arrows cautiously walking through the woods. She was dressed down, but Link was positive that it was indeed Zelda.

"What is this? Where is she?" Link murmured in confusion as to why he was seeing what he was seeing. But through the confusion, Link was happy to see Zelda again and to hear her voice again, even though she couldn't see him.

"_Hector? Guinevere? Anybody?" _Zelda anxiously called out into the woods.

"What is she doing? Why is she dressed like that? Is she lost? Who is _Hector_? She's calling for _Guinevere_?" Link questioned quickly. "Is she in danger!?"

After watching Zelda for about fifteen minutes and then feeling like a stalker, Link couldn't stand it anymore. He wished to go to Zelda's side as soon as possible and protect her from whatever it was that she was so nervous about running into. Perhaps it was his newly awakened, heroic nature, or the fact that he wasn't totally over his childish crush on the young royal. Whatever it was, he just wanted to be there protecting her.

"Zelda!" Link shouted into the smoky caldron, even though she couldn't hear him.

Then there was a clapping noise from the darkness of the tunnel. It was a slow clap, the type that one does when they are trying to be sarcastic and unimpressed.

"Well done. You've come so far, my little kitchen boy. You're fellow castle rats would be so proud of you." A familiar, seductive, male voice chuckled throughout the clapping. "But I fear that now you have come _too_ far. You are no ordinary servant, by any means. But you probably already know that, don't you? And you know what they say-

Mihari the magician came into the young hero's view and into the eerie purple light. _"The nail that sticks out gets hammered down."_

Link gasped in shock at the sight of the magician. The young hero's eyes widened and his back straightened as he backed away from the caldron. "Ghirahim..."

"Ooooooh, you know my name?" Mihari laughed playfully as he crossed his arms and slowly approached the glass caldron. "I'm truly touched."

"How did you-

"Find you? Your little girlfriend at the cabin told me all about you as she begged for her life." Mihari chuckled as he looked into the caldron. "Oh, she had the most beautiful scream. I'm no music expert, but I'd say she screamed in the key of High C."

"What did you do to her!?" Link hissed as he raised his left hand to the hilt of his newly acquired blade.

"I killed her. She was a cripple anyway. One less person to mooch off of Queen Zelda's newly decreed rupee hand outs for those that are disabled." Mihari shrugged nonchalantly. "The new queen's downfall will be her kind heart. I should have known that the moment she suggested having you exiled instead of executed. You were her first project."

Link was taken aback by news of Ashli's murder. He wanted to cry, to wanted to yell, he wanted to kill Ghirahim. "You son of a bitch..."

"I beg your pardon?" Mihari raised an eyebrow. "Please address me properly!"

"Ghirahim, you are nothing but a murderous psychopath that framed me and made my life hell!" Link barked as he unsheathed his sword.

Ghirahim looked back into the caldron's smoke and chuckled as he ignored Link's comments. "You know what this is? This caldron is where I dumped all the spirit energy of the lives I took over the years. The energy shows you whoever your heart wishes to see the most. It appears we both want to see the same person."

"Explains how Guinevere was using it." Link murmured and then realized what Ghirahim had said. He stole a glance into the smoke of the caldron and notice that the scene had not changed. Zelda was still wandering the woods hopelessly. "So this is what you did with everyone! You stole their souls and put them in this!?"

Ghirahim looked up at the young hero. "Well yes. I had to put them somewhere. Whenever I need the energy I only need to call upon it by activating my special seal."

"You're sick!" Link shouted as he pointed the sword at the magician. "I'm going to stop this madness right now!"

"Rooooooooooooooooooo!" Ghirahim gasped dramatically. "Now you're getting into the spirit of things! You've really found yourself out here, hm?"

"Shut up!" Link barked.

"Are you sure that is wise, boy? You want to cross blades with _me_, Demon Lord Ghirahim?"

Link hardened his grip on his sword's hilt. "I don't intend to cross blades; I intend to plunge mine into your chest!"

"Don't you want to know how I did it? Hm?" Ghirahim sighed.

"No." Link stated as he continued to stare down the magician.

"Well I'm telling you anyway!" Ghirahim shouted. "A lot of thought went into this!"

Link said nothing else as he had no choice in the matter. He would let the magician speak.

"Once upon a time, far, far, away my master was murdered by the hand of a troublesome child. I disappeared before things got really ugly. I spent many years as nothing more than dust, plotting my revenge and gaining more power to regenerate myself into a physical form. But I was bound to being a spirit of my master's sword, so I could never stray far away from it for long without having to touch it to recharge my strength. When I became strong enough, I focused my attention on all those that bared resemblance to the troublesome child and his descendants. This eventually led me to the royal family. I began my work on a boy name Percival, son of Zelda the Sixth, and younger brother of Laertes the First. He was easy to manipulate and I got him to do just about anything I said. I was convinced that Percival and I would take Hyrule and I would be able to lay the groundwork for my master's empire, but that was a pipe dream. His brother killed him and saved Hyrule from years of tyranny. It was a shame, but not all hope was lost."

Link watched as the magician calmly paced from wall to wall, examining the many different weapons.

"I realized that my time was up. I was bound to my master's blade, no matter what. So I took my time and waited for another few decades. I collected more souls for this caldron and one day, I returned to the castle as a peddler. It was too soon as Laertes had told his children and grandchildren of my existence and they recognized me immediately. I acted quickly, and I was able to seal someone else within my master's sword, giving me freedom to roam without worry of having to return to the sword for power. I then made a new plan. I hide the sword in that chamber and I had found the Hero of Twilight's legit family and decided to plant some seeds there as well. Long story short, I made Gregor steal that map, promising him infinite fame and fortune if he found the _treasure_ and brought it back to me. Thus, old Gengo kicked Gregor's whole clan out of the castle for theft. I would not have to worry about any new troublesome children coming from that clan if they were far away from me."

"The sword..." Link recalled as his mind shifted back to the day he removed it from the ground in the secret chamber.

"Yes. You destroyed it on me." Mihari rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I knew you were the _chosen one_, the one with the Triforce of Courage. So I decided that I would have you killed off and separated from the girl that carried the Triforce of Wisdom, this would make my job easier. I framed you that night. After you left the king, I arrived and stabbed him with the knife that I had put on the tea tray."

Link's expression did not change. He was soaking in the information and was surprised to learn that it was not poisoning that killed the king, but a stab wound inflicted by a murderous magician.

"Now, here I am... about to kill you." Ghirahim nodded as he snapped his fingers and a long maroon coloured sword appeared from thin air. "I will make this as slow and as painful as possible."

"Er!" Link grunted as he raised his shield up a bit, getting ready to defend.

* * *

**Review it! Vote on the poll!**


	38. Reunion

_(A/N: There were a lot of things I had to accomplish with this chapter as this is where the young hero meets the young queen. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be as it took me a few tries to figure out how these two characters should interact after all this time because I feel like they have grown so much that I couldn't just have them revert too much to their old ways. I hope this will do for now. I will flesh out this relationship in the coming chapters. If it is not what you want, rest assured that I am working on it and that I am doing my best. There was a lot of polishing involved in this one as well because of this.–Infamous 5/5/13)_

* * *

**Act 38: **_**Reunion**_

Distraught crows flocked out of the trees as the clinks of clanks of steel on steel chimed in the usually peaceful Faron Woods. It was as if the crows themselves, the living symbols of the death, were afraid of the scene that was unfolding beneath their perches.

Single handedly, Guinevere the bounty hunter and taken out an entire platoon of knights and their hounds within a short time frame.

When her bloody work was done she sheathed her gladius sword and looked up at the sun. She grabbed the belt around her waist and cringed as it changed colour from brown to purple and from purple to brown.

The pupils in Guinevere's green eyes were nothing more than slits. Animosity had taken over. It was as if she had lost all control and given into some sort of animal deep inside of her soul.

She patted the right side of her head, as if trying to knock sense back into herself and regain any lost bearings. Her long, brown locks of hair swayed gently in the light, warm breeze. Though her hair was not in perfect, loose curls; it was actually tattered and somewhat messy, as if it were stressed.

She adjusted her green cap and then her black coat before fixing her gaze forward in the wooded area in front of her. Her heightened senses detected movement and voices.

The bounty hunter readied her bow, her irises danced with egger excitement within the whites of her eyes. To Guinevere, it was nothing more than the second wave of fools that were coming to die.

But to the second wave of fools, Ordon's watchmen, Guinevere was nothing more than a crazed maniac that needed to be stopped.

"She is not my sister, she is my enemy." Hector mumbled as he spied through a patch of foliage at the scene of butchery that was in front of him.

"And you are mine." Guinevere smiled at she looked over at the shrubbery in which Hector was hiding.

Hector drew his sword and emerged from the bushes, deciding to forwardly attack his sister. This caused Guinevere to roll her eyes and once again draw her gladius sword.

Guinevere merely raised her short sword and was able to block Hector's downward slash. A long clank from the two blades clashing boomed through the clearing in the woods. Guinevere then yawned a bit and glanced at her brother in annoyance. "Not good enough."

Hector cringed as he pulled back his sword again and readied himself to strike once more. "I don't care what you think! You killed all these people! You're nothing but a murderer! You don't deserve to wear those clothes!"

There were screams from within the forest that reverberated through the woods. It was the bloodcurdling cries of men being slaughtered.

"Men?" Hector called out.

"Caught in my traps." Guinevere snickered as Hector went in for another sword strike. "Simple tricks."

Guinevere blocked the attack again with a single movement. "You don't deserve to be related to me. You're nothing but a weak little child that wants to be something his is not."

Hector's curly, blond hair bounced as he stepped back and tried to calculate his next move.

"I don't have time for this." Guinevere sighed. "I'll make this quick."

* * *

_What do I do? _Link nervously darted his eyes from Ghirahim to the glass caldron. _There isn't enough room in here to have a big showdown._

Ghirahim looked at Link from across the chamber and licked his lips in pleasure. "You can take the first shot. I at least owe you that as it will be the last thing you do."

"Er." Link moaned again as he tried to sort out his plan of attack.

"Oh come on! I saw what you did to my little creation. You stabbed the poor thing right in the eyes! So don't even try to tell me that you're afraid to fight!" Ghirahim laughed as he widened his arms.

"_Hector?" _Zelda's nervous voice continued to call out from the smoky confines of the caldron.

Ghirahim looked down at the caldron with pleasurable eyes. "You don't want your little girlfriend to get hurt, do you? Well, if you can get by me, you only need to beat," Ghirahm pointed a finger at the caldron, "her."

Link quickly glanced into the smoke that brewed restlessly in the glass caldron. He saw Zelda still uneasily walking through a thicket. But then he saw some movement in the shadows of the bushes to Zelda's left.

Link's eyes widened as a woman that was dressed like him and had long, brown hair hopped out of the bushes and threw Zelda to the ground.

"Zelda!" Link exclaimed, not realizing how loud he was being.

Ghirahim watched Link with aroused eyes as he rested the tip of his maroon coloured blade into the ground. "That's Guinevere. She's nothing more than another puppet of my master's will."

"That's Guinevere? That's the great bounty hunter that I've heard so much about?" Link gasped a bit as he watched the bounty hunter produce a knife and approach Zelda.

Zelda sat up and tried to pull herself off of the ground but froze in place as soon as she saw Guinevere approaching her with the small knife.

Link noticed that the bounty hunter's brown belt would occasionally change from brown to a dark purple.

Noticing Link's interest, Ghirahim smiled and began to speak once more. "That's a sacred gift of my master; a material creation of his will; the Belt of Demise."

"Belt of Demise?" Link raised his eyebrows as he continued to watch the scene unfold within the caldron.

"When I realized that Guinevere was hanging her hat in here on occasion, I used some of the spirit energy to curse her belt with some of my master's will. It turned her mind into menacing mush. Of course, I thought the curse was not working as I had seen such little action on her part, and I assumed her to be dead. But now I see that I was wrong. Her own determination to not embrace the wishes of my master has been impressive, but it appears that she has finally broken down and will now go on a killing spree."

Link bit his lip as he tried to think of a thought that would never come to him. Zelda was going to get killed right before his eyes and then Ghirahim was going to kill him as well.

That was when it hit the young hero. Ghirahim needed Link separated from Zelda, but why? He needed Zelda and only Zelda. Ghirahim couldn't afford to let Zelda die. The demon lord was bluffing.

"You need Zelda alive. So why are you going to let Guinevere kill her?" Link murmured as theories began to flood his brain. "You thought you'd finish me off first and then snap in there and save Zelda. Am I right?"

Ghirahim bared his sharp teeth and clenched his left fist. "Yes."

"_Hector!" _Zelda cried out as Guinevere raised the knife, readying to strike.

"Stay here!" Ghirahim barked as he raised his left hand and readied to snap his fingers to disappear.

The moment before Ghirahim made his famous, master gesture; Link lunged forward and grabbed the demon lord's leg, forcing Ghirahim to take the young hero with him into his wall of yellow and purple diamond shapes.

* * *

Seconds later Link opened his eyes to see that he was on the ground of a forested area. The smell of various flora and fauna flooded his nostrils. The sun was warm on his frozen skin. He had not felt the moderate warmth of the sun's rays in a long time.

Link's foolish plan had worked. He looked ahead and saw a white boot. He then looked up to see the boot was attached to Ghirahim's bodysuit.

"Get off me!" Ghirahim barked as he kicked Link in the jaw before charging ahead.

"Ouch!" Link moaned a bit as he held his jaw in pain. He was able to pull himself to his feet and see the scene that was playing out moments ago within the glass caldron.

Ghirahim was clashing with Guinevere, and Zelda remained on the ground, terrified.

Link snapped his jaw back into place, but soon felt it drop as he realized that he was looking at a friend that he had not seen in a very long time. Immense happiness flooded his senses. "Zelda..."

Zelda looked over quickly and had to do a double take to realize that there was indeed someone of importance standing several feet away from her. She said nothing and only stared in disbelief and awe.

The young hero rushed over to the young monarch and slammed to his knees the moment he was by her side.

"Link..." Zelda whispered as she stared into her former servant's eyes. "How? What? This can't be real."

Before Link could respond he heard Ghirahim and Guinevere exchanging some strong words.

"You idiot! Keep the girl alive!" Ghirahim barked as he used his sword to defend against Guinevere's gladius.

Guinevere's eyes were cold as she replied. "Why would I do that, when the master's will is destruction?"

"You won't have a master if you continue at this rate!" Ghirahim snarled as he kicked the bounty hunter in the stomach. He looked over at Zelda and Link and quickly licked his lips before pointed his sword at them. "Don't get too comfortable."

Link felt himself stand up, though he did not recall telling himself to do so. It was as if some stronger force was pulling him to his feet. He then extended a hand to Zelda, to help her stand up as well.

She gave Link's gloved hand a peculiar look for a moment before accepting and pulling herself to her feet. "Thank you..."

"No problem, majesty." Link smiled at her in admiration. He could see the same Zelda he had known for a long time through the modest villager attire. It was indeed her. He had found the right girl and there had not been a mix up.

"You can let go of my hand now." Zelda giggled a bit in embarrassment. Link felt his cheeks burn red. In that short moment, it was as if none of the adventure had ever happened. It was just like old times for the hero and monarch. It was reminiscent of the days of a humble kitchen boy and a naive princess.

"Of course!" Link gasped as he released his grip on Zelda's fragile hand. He quickly and respectively dropped his hand to his side and stood at attention. He tried to remember his training of how to act around royalty.

Zelda looked at Link a bit surprised. "I don't think now is a good time for formalities."

Link looked over to see Guinevere barely being able to put up a fight against Ghirahim. She had been backed into a corner near a large rock face and was trying to combat all of the demon lord's attacks. "You're right. We can save that stuff and any explanations for later. We gotta get out of here!"

"Wait, there are people missing, we can't just leave!" Zelda protested as she slung her bow over her shoulder.

Link gave the young monarch a frazzled expression. "I don't think now is a good time for a search party."

Zelda then felt something whiz by her ear and tack into a tree directly behind her. She turned around to see a short sword wobbling as it's tip was just lodged into the bark of the tree.

Zelda looked over to Guinevere and Ghirahim to see that the bounty hunter was unarmed but was not backing down.

"Okay, ugly, let's do this the old fashioned way!" Guinevere growled as she raised her fists.

"I don't recall a time when people fought with only their fists. Trust me, darling, I've been around for a long time and I have never seen anything like this before." Ghirahim's amused laughter echoed through the forested and chilled Zelda to the bone.

Link grabbed Zelda's hand and looked at her with dutiful conviction before yanking her along behind him as he began to run. "We should go before something really ugly happens."

The young queen gave Link a rather perplexed look. This was not the kitchen boy she once knew. He may have looked the same, but he was different in some way. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke and the way he had grabbed Zelda's hand and pulled her along, it was all very different. He was not shy and docile, he was confident and strong.

_I guess I'm a little different too. _Zelda looked down at Link's brown boots as they hurried through the bushes.

* * *

Link would occasionally look back at Zelda to make sure she was okay and that he wasn't dragging her across the forest floor. She easily kept up with him despite a small stumble here and there. He noticed the differences in her as well, and It was not that she was dressed like a villager and she lacked all the pompous jewelry and clothing.

Eventually they reached a clearing where many battered and bruised bodies laid dead on the ground. Their horses wandered around hopelessly and nervously, awaiting another attack.

Deceased basset hounds were also scattered around the clearing with the dead servicemen.

Arrays of arrows stuck out of the bodies along with swords and other weapons. It appeared that the men had been stabbed with their own blades.

"Talk about a deadly beauty, eh?" Link mumbled as he and Zelda took in the scene of sheer carnage and overkill.

Zelda didn't respond. She was amazed by the sight and could not come up with words. Not too far away from where she was standing, she could see familiar, curly, blond hair. "Hector..."

Face down in a slump, among the bodies of his brothers in arms, Hector lay dead with his own sword in his back. The distant cousin of the Queen of Hyrule had been massacred just like the rest of the foolish brave that encountered the wrath of Guinevere.

"She killed her own brother?" Zelda mumbled as she tried to fight back tears.

"Majesty?" Link raised an eyebrow, trying to provoke a response.

"This is my fault." Zelda looked at the ground in disappointment. She clenched her fists and locked up her shoulders. Small dots of red could be seen on the ground from the spraying and shedding of blood.

Link turned to the young monarch in confusion. "Pardon me?"

"I'll explain later." Zelda sighed as she whistled at a white horse and a brown horse.

Link accepted her answer, though it did not answer his questions. But then again, they both had questions for each other and they would not be able to answer them for a while. "How long do you think Guinevere hold on for against Ghirahim?"

Zelda's eyes widened as she got ready to mount the white horse's back. "You know about him?"

"You know about him?" Link laughed through his nose a bit as he helped Zelda onto the horse.

"Of course. It's my job to know these things." Zelda nodded with authority, though sadness still plagued her eyes.

"Right." Link laughed though his nose again before mounting the brown horse. "Let's get going! I would love to give these guys a proper burial, but we don't have time."

Zelda nodded back as they kicked their horses and cantered off into the Faron Woods, looking for the exit that would lead them into Hyrule Field.

* * *

The conversation was surprisingly light as the pair rode side by side, despite the situation being rather heavy. Link had almost explained everything to Zelda and actually found himself being the one doing most of the talking. It was surprising change from what their correspondence had been while they were nothing more than a princess and a kitchen boy. In those days, Zelda did most of the talking and Link did most of the listening. Zelda had only really expressed her wishes to return to the castle, and Link of course, couldn't agree more as he too had business at the castle.

Zelda of course, was blaming herself for the loss of life. If she had not followed Guinevere to Ordon and had instead gone to find help on her own, a search party would never have been sent to find her and she would have been home in the safety of the castle.

The young monarch was heartbroken about Hector's death. He had shown her kindness and now he was face down, dead in the dirt as if he were a piece of garbage. But she left him there, she had to. She didn't cry over his demise either, she couldn't do such a thing. She was the queen of a country; she wasn't allowed to cry, especially in front of a servant.

But Link wasn't technically a servant; he had been relieved of duty and he was a friend of Zelda's. She still saw him as a friend. Zelda still felt like she could confide in him, even after all this time.

"Majesty, what were you doing in Ordon Village? And, why are you dressed like that?" Link questioned as their horses began to slow down to a light trot through the fields of Hyrule.

"Royal visits. Things turned sour while I was on my way from Kakariko to Ordon. My entire security team was wiped out by bandits." Zelda explained as she remembered the sights and sounds of the attack on her caravan. "I did nothing about it, just like I did back there. I was so terrified that I was useless."

Link glanced over at Zelda with a troubled expression. "Just because you're scared doesn't make you useless, majesty. Just admitting that you were afraid is brave enough, especially for someone like you. If anything, it makes it easier to identify with you."

"But why weren't you afraid? You didn't even freeze up for a second." Zelda asked. "Most normal people would have done that."

"And you know normal, majesty?" Link teased.

"You know what I meant." Zelda shook her head.

"Well, if you hadn't already noticed, I don't think and you and I are necessarily prime examples of normality." Link laughed playfully. "But I will say this; nothing will scare the living daylights out of you more than when you are banished to the desert by the Queen of Hyrule herself."

"I'm sorry..." Zelda looked down at the white horse's mane with guilt.

"No need." Link smiled modestly at Zelda. "Worse things have happened to me, trust me. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff that I _didn't_ tell you."

"Yeah, but none of that would have happened had I not sent you away..."

"You didn't have a lot of options, majesty. I'm actually quite happy that you chose to banish me as I wouldn't be here right now had you had me executed. I should be thanking you for being merciful."

"I did that because you were my friend, my only friend, and I couldn't sign you off like that." Zelda divulged as she bit her lip nervously. "I made a rash decision with my heart, not my head. Realistically I should have had you sentenced to death, but I couldn't do it."

"Well, thank you, majesty, honestly." Link rubbed the back of his neck. "I like having a good head on my shoulders, you know?"

Zelda giggled a bit at Link's quip. He was much more relaxed around her than he had ever been while they were in their roles at the castle. In Zelda's mind, Link had either realized that Zelda was just a person that wanted to be normal, or that he had completely gone off the deep end.

But it was actually a little of both of these things. But majorly, Link had matured. He knew that Zelda wanted to be treated normally and by being confident when he spoke to her, he knew he could give her what she wanted. But you could also argue that Link had gone a little crazy, as he was speaking very informally, aside from the honorifics.

"Master Link." A monotone voice sounded from behind the hero and the monarch.

The horses halted their movement out of fear. Zelda jumped and almost fell off her horse at the sound of the voice. Link quickly grabbed Zelda's right shoulder with his left hand to stabilize her balance. He then merely perked his head up before turning around to see Fi standing behind him.

"There you are!" Link smiled at the sight of the strange spirit. "Where were you when I needed you?"

"The spirit energy kept me away." Fi did not smile as her strange, silver hair slowly flowed with an unfelt gust of wind. "You are heading to the castle, correct?"

"Yes." Link seriously nodded as he let go of Zelda's shoulder. "Majesty needs to return home and I need to be there for other reasons."

Zelda turned around to see the source of the voice and almost fainted. "Wh-wha? How? You're..."

Fi raised her thin, silver eyebrows. "What is wrong with her?"

Link gave Zelda concerned glance. "Sorry Fi, most people aren't used to seeing random spirits pop up out of nowhere, especially when they look like one of their relatives. At least now I know that I'm not crazy since she can see you too."

"Hm?" Fi looked at Zelda and then curiously floated closer to her. "This is your Zelda?"

Link blushed a bit. "Well, she's not _my_ Zelda, but she is the Zelda we were speaking about, yes."

Fi ignored Link's reaction and continued to stare at the young monarch.

Zelda stared back nervously as a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. "What is this thing? Why does she look like my father's cousin? Are you the ghost of Princess Zola or something?"

"It's a long story." Link replied as Fi began to float around Zelda, trying to study her.

"Yes, you are related to my creator. I can see it. She lives in you." Fi divulged as she stopped floating around Zelda. "Please, forgive me for startling you, your grace."

Zelda stared at Fi in confusion. "What are you talking about? Creator? You mean your mother? Your mother was married into the family Zola, there's no way I could look like her."

"Uh, majesty, she isn't Princess Zola. She is Fi, the spirit of the Master Sword." Link explained gently.

"So why does she look like that?" Zelda argued, raising a sharp finger at Fi.

"Ghirahim." Fi disclosed. "He killed your ancestors and he also pit them against one another."

"He also killed your father." Link looked at the ground. "He told me so, as if it was a crowning achievement in his life."

Zelda said nothing to Link's comment as her confused eyes drifted into mourning.

"We'll get him, majesty, don't worry!" Link reassured the young monarch. "All you have to do is show me where to get the Master Sword and we can end this once and for all."

"The royal gardens... in the usual spot. It's hidden there." Zelda nodded as she recalled the place within her mind's eye. "The place I told you to never forget about."

"Right. Just as Fi said." Link nodded back respectfully.

Zelda stared at Link with a very serious gaze. "You know, I always knew you were special. The minute I saw your hand I knew that you and I were tied to each other through fate."

Link raised his left hand and saw where the Walram's acidic blood had eaten through his glove. There was a clear hole in the leather that revealed the Triforce marking on the back of his hand.

Zelda raised her right hand and then thoughtfully pressed her palm against Link's. Though her hand was much smaller and more fragile than Link's, it still fit perfectly when it was pressed against his.

"Uh, what are you doing, majesty?" Link questioned as he noticed Zelda was fixated on their hands.

Suddenly the Triforce marking on Link's hand began to gently glow. The triangle in the bottom right of the marking shone brighter than the other two. The triangle in the bottom left began to shine a little brighter as well.

Link felt a comforting and safe heat warming his hand. It made him feel secure and complete in some strange way.

Fi watched on in unspoken awe at the heavenly, golden light that emitted from the hands of both individuals.

Zelda then removed her palm from Link's and then nodded in reassurance. "Proof of our combined power. If we work together we will succeed."

"See, you aren't useless, majesty." Link smirked as he slowly dropped his hand to his side. "Without you, there's no way I could do this on my own."

Zelda couldn't help but grin. "Don't call me 'majesty'."

"Just one more time, _majesty_." Link smiled and made Zelda blush.

Zelda and Link locked eyes and it seemed that they ignored everything around them for a moment. It was like they were the only people in the world, and that was okay with them. But of course, this was not okay with Fi.

"Master Link, we must make haste! There is an eighty five percent chance that Ghirahim will defeat the bounty hunter and come after you." Fi ordered, causing the two to snap out of their trance.

"If he hasn't done so already." Zelda added.

Link looked from Zelda to Fi and then up at the sun. It was mid-afternoon and soon the sun would set. There was not nearly enough time for him and Zelda to make it to Hyrule Castle while the sun was still up. Traveling at night with the Queen of Hyrule by his side, would also be dangerous.

"We're burning daylight. We'll have to find somewhere to stay along the way." Zelda stated before Link could speak up about the matter. "Though it would be better for us to travel by the cover of moonlight, it would not be the safest thing to do."

"I agree. I was about to say the same thing." Link dipped his head back as he looked up at the sun again.

"Great minds think alike." Zelda giggled a bit, catching Link's admirable gaze once more.

Fi, not understanding the obvious flirtation going on between the two immediately spoke again. "Let us continue onward, Master Link."

"Right!" Link nodded, snapping out of his gaze. "Let's move!"

* * *

**Review it! Vote on the poll. **


	39. A Hero to Trust In

_(A/N: This one was a toughie simply because it is the calm before the storm. I was incredibly uninspired to write this one because I know exactly what is going to happen in the next chapter, so I really just wanted to get this out of the way. This one is kind of a fluffy thing but completely innocent on all counts. –Infamous 5/12/13)_

* * *

**Act 39: **_**A Hero to Trust In **_

Night had fallen quickly over Hyrule, encasing the country in darkness. The stars twinkled away like they always did. They were the tears of heaven, as the religious types like to call them. On nights when things were okay in the world, they would not twinkle but would remain opaque. In Hyrule things were never okay, hence why they glittered.

But arguably, the stars were much prettier when they sparkled. Many Hylian fairy tales, lullabies and nursery rhymes were inspired by the infatuating and enchantingly mischievous twinkle the burning balls of gas produced.

Zelda was also a fan of the sparkling stars, even though she knew what was said about them. One would believe that it would only stress her nerves even more since it meant that all was not decent in her kingdom. But no, Zelda had always been much more besotted with the sparkling stars.

She and Link had come across a small inn on the edge of the Faron Province. It was a quaint and quiet single story building. Though it was nothing spectacular, it was just enough to meet the demand of getting a good night's rest.

The inn was run by a little, old lady that liked to chew sunflower seeds, and then spit the shells into a tin can. She had a dagger hidden on her thigh that she would whip out at customers in case they had the intention of robbing her.

Link and Zelda found out about the dagger the hard way. The moment they entered the building the old lady heaved the small blade across the room and into the wall next to Link's head.

After that misstep, Link spent what few rupees he had in his pockets and a few he had found in the grass to rent a single room that had two single beds and one washroom. It was all he could afford. Zelda felt terrible about forcing Link to pay for the room, as royals never carried money on themselves, but Link assured her that it was perfectly fine.

The young monarch pulled her hair out of it's ponytailed state and quickly ran her fingers through her blonde locks, trying to brush out any unwanted waves or kinks.

"You okay?" Link murmured as he took off his tall, brown boots and then sighed with relief. It was the first time in a long time that he had removed them and let his feet breathe.

Zelda glanced over at her former kitchen boy and forced a smile. "Yes!"

"You're awful cheery for someone in such circumstances, majesty." Link shook his head as he carried his boots to the mat that was neatly placed in front of the door. His bare feet made a tapping sound as he shuffled across the wooden floor.

"One must know how to adapt when they are in a position of power." Zelda informed. "And I thought I told you to stop calling me 'majesty'... _my dear kitchen boy_."

Link made a slightly irritated expression, but did not let the young queen see it as he rummaged through the pockets of the brown cloak he had gotten from Ashli's cabin.

"Where did Fi go?" Zelda glanced around the small bedroom with a curious look on her face before taking a seat in the chair at the small desk in the corner of the room.

"Goddess knows where she gets off to. She appears whenever she feels like it." Link yawned with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"She's a rather strange individual." Zelda played with a loose thread on the hem of her green tank top.

Link laughed as he removed his pointed, green cap and hung it up on one of the hooks with the brown cloak. "Do sword spirits even count as individuals?"

"Why are you asking me?" Zelda shrugged in all obliviousness.

"I thought you'd know. You're one the smartest, prettiest and most thoughtful people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." Link chuckled. Though it was not his intention, the young hero was again flirting with the Queen of Hyrule.

Zelda's cheeks became flushed with tones of pink. Luckily for her, the room was so dimly lit that Link could not see that she was blushing. "Th-thank you, Link."

"You make it sound like you don't receive many compliments." Link raised his eyebrows.

He guessed correctly. Zelda was a foreigner when it came to being complimented and praised. When the people of Kakariko Village greeted her with such warmth and praise, she was overcome with surprise. When Hector explained how well liked she was in Ordon, she was again overcome with surprise. When Link complimented her, her heart fluttered.

"I don't. You should know that." Zelda sighed as she quickly looked away from Link's gaze and then began to play with her signet ring.

"Of course, majesty..." Link then quickly corrected himself as Zelda sent a sharp gaze across the room at him, "Zelda!"

Zelda sighed as she lit a match from a matchbook that was sitting the desk. She then lit another candle to give the room some more light as the room was only illuminated by the lone candles on the nightstand between the two beds.

The room was modest. It was no royal suite that was for sure. Zelda's temporary room in Ordon looked like a five star inn compared to the room in which she found herself at this point in time. There was a tacky brown rug that had some ugly, outdated, hexagonal design on it that was placed in the centre of the room. Zelda couldn't help but wonder if the hideous rug was there to hide something much more hideous underneath it.

The two single beds were approximately five feet away from each other. One closest to the door was clad in a red, plaid comforter. The one closest to the window had a campy, pink coloured comforter. Link had made a silent claim for the bed nearest the door by leaning his weapons against it. This left Zelda with the one nearest the window.

The young monarch eventually heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed her left temple as she looked at the dated, yellow wallpaper that was peeling back from the walls that it was glued to. "I'm just... tired of this."

"Tired of what?" Link cleared his throat as he sat down on the end of his bed and removed his leather gloves.

"Everything! Everything I touch turns into a disaster! The minute they put the crown on my head, everything went wrong!" Zelda explained.

Link climbed into the single bed on the other side of the room and then laid down. "Maybe that's just what Ghirahim wants. This whole thing has just been a big performance building up to the ultimate moment when he breaks you down and finally gets what he wants."

"But what does he want? Control of Hyrule obviously, as he alluded to the idea on several occasions." Zelda explained as she stared at the young hero that was lying in a relaxed state in the bed on the other side of the room.

"He wants to resurrect his master. He can't do that without the sword that I destroyed." Link stated as he closed his eyes. "I don't know what else his plan entails. He needed to keep you alive though."

Zelda's eyes dropped to the Triforce on the back of her hand. She was quiet for a moment as she tried to come up with a suitable statement. "Me. He needs me for something. That's what it's been all along."

The room was silent. Zelda expected Link to say something back, but he did no such thing. He did not speak or utter a word for a very long time. And when finally spoke, it was not about what Zelda was expecting. It was as if Link did not want to think about Ghirahim _needing_ Zelda.

"Did you ever wonder if maybe this is all just a small piece of a much bigger puzzle?" Link cleared his throat as he stared up at the ceiling. "I mean, think about it. You said our fates were interlocked because of these markings on our hands. But why do we have these markings? What makes us so special? You're you, obviously, and there's a record of royal women having a Triforce mark on their right hand. But I'm me, and I'm a nobody. I don't have any family to speak of and I'm nothing special. So why do I have this?"

For a moment Zelda saw Link's confidence waning. He felt insignificant next to the Queen of Hyrule, and no one could blame him for that. But the Queen of Hyrule felt insignificant next to him, and you cannot blame her for feeling that way either. She was jealous of his confidence and his freedoms. He was jealous of her intelligence and her pedigree.

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone this, but..." Zelda rested her chin in her hand and smirked a bit at her rebelliousness. "I have the Triforce of Wisdom. It is generally passed down through the royal lineage and only given to the women of the family; though my studies have listed a few odd cases when a male heir held the Triforce of Wisdom." She then stared at the tacky, brown rug that sat in the middle of the room. "You have the Triforce of Courage. It is bestowed upon those who house the unbreakable spirit of the hero of legend."

Link sat up in his bed the moment Zelda uttered the words 'hero of legend'. "Pardon me?"

"In other words... you are the Hero of Twilight, and all the heroes that came before him, reborn." Zelda glanced up to meet Link's eye. "You are the embodiment of their spirit. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Link stared at the three triangles on the back of his left hand in shock. He said nothing for several minutes as he was trying to digest what he had just been told. He _was_ the Hero of Twilight in some strange way. He was the Hero of Twilight along with many other heroes of the past. But there was always the question of why the gods chose to give him the hero's spirit and not the next Joe in line.

Though answering the question would be tough, as the gods worked in strange ways. In the past, Din was often the eyebrow raiser for giving the Triforce of Power to Ganondorf. This called into question if the gods were merely playing a game and the wondrous world that they had created was nothing more than a little sandbox for the deities to get their daily dose of entertainment out of. Whatever the reason was, Link, and many other people would be left to ponder this for many years to come.

Link then chuckled softly. The chuckle turned into a wholehearted laugh. "So, in some way, I'm your grandfather?"

Zelda's eyes shot open. "How do you know about that?"

"I haven't told you everything." Link laughed with a cheeky grin. "You don't always have to be in the know, just because you're a queen."

Zelda rolled her eyes. Though Zelda found it to be quite refreshing to be teased, especially by a friendly face that she knew all too well.

"Well, if something is going on in my kingdom, I ought to know about it," Zelda forced a somewhat flirtatious smile, "especially if people are talking about my bloodline."

Link was taken aback by how forward Zelda was in her body language. He tried to hide his reddening cheeks with his hand by faking an itch. But Zelda could still see the hints of red that plagued the sides of his face thanks to the candles that were flickering away on the nightstand next to the young hero's bed.

"You're very different from when I last saw you." Link looked away, realizing the queen could clearly see his flushed face. "I remember when you were frustrated about the idea of becoming queen and how your father did not teach you anything."

"And you're very different from when I last saw you." Zelda looked away as well, realizing she was awkwardly staring at the young hero. "Whatever happened to properly following your servant vows?"

Link glanced up and looked at the young queen in all seriousness. "Right now, you need a hero to trust in, not a servant in your trust."

Link's words hit home for Zelda as she widened her eyes in awe. They were wise words from a courageous mouth. He was speaking the truth and suddenly the magnitude of the situation began to weigh in on Zelda's mind. If they did not succeed, the world was doomed.

* * *

Ghirahim sat in the small cave at Snowpeak, glaring into the glass caldron. He watched both Link and Zelda closely as he tried to come up with his next plan.

"A cute and clever little girl and modest and meddling little boy team up and make an unlikely union to save the world from evil." The demon lord murmured as he frantically stared into the caldron like a madman. "Sounds somewhat familiar. Hm, have I heard this before? It's so played out and cliché, honestly! Could the gods not have come up with something better than this?"

The demon lord licked his maroon coloured blade and then grinned as he snapped his tongue back into his mouth. "The ones that put up a fight always have the better blood."

Alas, Ghirahim did have a plan. Other than licking the dried blood of a bounty hunter off of his sword, he would sit and wait. He knew full well where the hero and the monarch were going. They would deliver themselves right into the demon lord's hands and he would not have to lift a finger.

"Less stress on my abilities. The vessel is already prepared at the castle. So if the clever little girl arrives with the meddling little boy in tow, than the boy will bring the sword spirit with him as well." Ghirahim chuckled. "I can resurrect my master's blade with ease if I have the sword spirit _and_ the clever little girl. Everything will go according to plan!"

"So let them fall in love! Let run! Let live! But very soon they will both be in my clutch with nowhere to run!" Ghirahim barked loudly and slammed his left fist on the caldron. "According to plan!"

* * *

With Link snoring loudly like a bear in hibernation, Zelda found herself sitting up in her bed, wide awake, in the dark. The young hero had not slept in a decent bed in a long time, so Zelda excused his loud sound effects, even though they kept her awake.

The young monarch glance out the window to see the stars still sparkling like they always did. They were the only light in the rundown room. She then looked over at Link, who was illuminated by the starlight, and saw a small line of saliva leaking out of the corner of his mouth. She merely giggled at how foolish he looked.

_You're something else, kitchen boy. _Zelda looked down at her hands and smirked. _I never thought I would be sharing a room at an inn with a servant. Then again, I never thought I'd ever have to stay at an inn._

The queen looked back at the young hero and giggled softly. _How did you survive? Do they really train the servants that well or perhaps that Triforce on your hand is a good luck charm._

Link rolled to his side and faced the wall. His snoring subsided and was muffled, but Zelda could still hear the annoying heaves and groans, and even some talking. "I'm not going to lose to you. We'll win the polo match tomorrow!"

Zelda raised an eyebrow in amusement. _He talks in his sleep? Even at a time like this he still dreams about playing polo. Unbelievable._

The young queen ran her hand through her hair and looked at the ugly pink comforter that covered the bed in which she slept. She pondered her new relationship with her kitchen boy. It was true that she always had a thing for him, and it was bluntly obvious that she still did. But she questioned his feeling for her. Perhaps he was just humouring her? But that couldn't have been the answer. The young hero was too much of a gentleman to do something like that.

Zelda wondered about what would happen once all was said and done. What would happen to Link? She couldn't just let him roam as a vagabond for the remainder of his days. And she was not too keen on having him return to her servant staff. Perhaps she could have him knighted. But she did not want him to go away again, that was for sure. He was her friend, with whom she harboured some rather confusing feelings for.

But then the young monarch came up with a most interesting idea. _The Hyrule State Ball._

It was an annual ball held at the castle in the name of diplomacy. If Zelda did not have an escort, it would look very bad. If Link agreed to accompany her to the ball, then the young queen would know for sure, her former kitchen boy cared for her in the way she cared for him.

* * *

The early morning that followed the night was a blurry one. It involved Zelda brushing her hair and then putting it back up in a ponytail, Link taking a much needed bath, and the innkeeper kicking the pair out of their room because they had apparently overstayed their welcome.

And so the young queen and the young hero continued forward to their ultimate goal, Hyrule Castle.

"We should be at the castle in a couple of hours." Zelda informed as they entered the province of Lanayru, the province that housed Hyrule's capital.

Link looked up at the rising sun as he and the young queen rode on horseback through Hyrule Field. "How did you figure that out so quickly?"

"Bearings, wind direction, angle of the sun, traveling speed, direction of travel and estimating the number of breaks we take on the way there." Zelda stated proudly and intelligently. But then she was embarrassed by this as she sounded like a complete know-it-all. "I didn't get out much when I was younger. You know that though."

"You're so smart though! I'm grateful to have you along as there is no way I would have figured that out." Link looked over to see the beautiful, young queen with the wind flowing graciously through her blonde locks of hair. He blushed a bit, noticing that he was giving Zelda the once over.

Zelda saw the young hero looking at her in her peripheral vision and tried to conceal her smile. She still cared deeply for her kitchen boy and it was good to see that he still cared deeply for his princess, even though their roles had changed.

After pondering the thought for a while, Zelda reached a realization. Link was like something she could not forget and now that she was with him again, it was as if she could confront the world because he provided her such comfort and security. He made up for what she lacked.

After spending a large part of your life around someone, you take them for granted and when they are gone, you realize how lost you are without them. That was how Zelda felt. But now she had her dear, trusted confidant back by her side and her heart skipped a beat when he looked her way. It was the beginnings of young love, which was bluntly obvious.

"Um, Link." Zelda cleared her throat. "I was wondering..."

"Yes?" Link glanced over at the young queen that was traveling closely by his side.

"Um... when this is all over, if we live, would you like to... well... if it isn't much trouble... would you... maybe consider..." Zelda had trouble constructing her sentences. She had never been so nervous in her young life. She had been crowned queen, addressed hundreds of people in speeches, met with many intimidating representatives from other nations and sections of Hyrule, faced off in verbal warfare against Mihari/Ghirahim, yet she could not sum up the courage to ask the young hero to be her date.

"_If we live_? Zelda, of course we'll survive! Don't worry about that." Link chuckled a bit, trying to stay positive. "Why are you stuttering?"

_Just spit it out Zelda. You'd rather go with him than with one of your stuffed shirt suitors, right? _Zelda felt the sweat on her palms dripping onto the reigns of her white horse. "Um, would you... escort me to the Hyrule State Ball!?"

Link snapped his head away from the queen and faced the dirt path ahead. His cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink. He knew exactly what she was asking and he knew the importance of the ball. "Majesty..."

"Zelda." The young queen corrected as she too snapped her head forward towards the dirt path. _I can't believe I just asked him that! What was I thinking!?_

"It would be an honour," Link bit his lip, "but..."

Zelda eyes were saddened as the young hero's voice trailed off. _Of course he'll say no. It wouldn't be right._

"I don't believe it would be well received if you brought the former kitchen boy that was believed to be your father's murderer, as your plus one." Link tried to reason with the young queen.

"I'm queen, and I can do what I bloody well want." Zelda nodded firmly. "If I wish to bring you to the ball with me, I will do just that."

Link turned his head and raised a sceptic eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

"Of course." Zelda nodded again, but she then began to question her answer as she knew that she was often told what to do by her advisors. "Is that a yes?"

Link did not respond to her question, instead he pointed at the structure that was rising like a reborn phoenix in the distance. "Almost home free."

Zelda looked from Link to the mighty structure in the distance that glowed in the morning sun. It was the castle; her prison, her hell, her home.

"I thought you'd be more excited to see it." Link gave the queen a lopsided grin as he slowed his horse down into a lighter trot.

Zelda gave Link an unimpressed stare. "It's like returning to the dungeon. Though I will admit that it is going to be quite comforting when I get to finally sit in the safety of my own private apartments after this."

"I can assure you, the dungeon does not have private apartments." Link chuckled a bit.

"I'm sorry, Link." Zelda pursed her lips, trying to conceal her disappointment in herself.

Link raised his eyebrows as he and Zelda continued towards Castle Town. "I told you, I'm over it, Zelda. I didn't really mind in the first place. It was better than being executed on the spot. There's no more need to apologize. I forgive you."

Zelda quietly nodded in acceptance. _Ask him again._

It took Zelda another twenty minutes of quiet traveling with no sound but the hooves of horses clicking on the ground and wind rustling the trees to sum up the courage to ask her question one more time.

She cleared her throat and readied herself for possible rejection. "Link."

"Yes?" Link looked over at her with his handsome, blue eyes.

_He said yes! No, wait..._ Zelda inhaled deeply. "About the ball. We can just go as friends."

Furrowing his brow, Link puffed his cheeks, overwhelmed by the queen's inquiry. "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Zelda exhaled quickly. All the air exited her lungs quickly, as if someone had just popped them with a sharp pin.

Link looked down at his gloved hands and closed his eyes in frustration. "I just... you... I..."

"Do I intimidate you?" Zelda's eyes widened in shock.

"No! I just... the idea intimidates me." Link shook his head. "I'm not from that world, Zelda. I can never be a part of that world, even for an evening, because you and me, we're too different. High society and the castle slums are two very different worlds. Sure, they may just be a couple of physical floors apart, but in the social ladder sense, they are thousands of floors apart."

All the while Link was saying this, his heart sank within his chest. His heart jumped for joy when Zelda had asked him, but his brain had told him something else.

Even though he cared much for Zelda, he knew logically, they could never really be together. It was a fact that he faced during his days as a kitchen boy.

But you'll see my friend; young love is often blind and stupid. Not because it is often foolish lust, but because those who truly do love each other blind themselves with their own stupidity.

* * *

**Review it! I'm so busy! The story is so close to climax! I need to go into a writing lock down!**


	40. Into Darkness

**Act 40: **_**Into Darkness**_

"Welcome to Castle Town, have a happy day!" exclaimed a man dressed as a jester as Link and Zelda entered the large town that wrapped around Hyrule Castle like a child clings to their mother.

"Thanks!" Link smiled as he hurried away from the man.

"If you have time, please check out our target practice ring. Excellent prizes to be won! And I get a feeling that you, young man, could shoot a perfect game." The jester laughed as he began to dance as he noticed Zelda cowering behind Link. "Perhaps you can win a special something for your pretty lady-friend here. A piece of heart, perhaps?"

Link walked around the man once more, trying to get away. He glanced behind himself to see the young queen walking closely behind him, as if she were afraid of the busy bustle of the very town that surrounded the mighty structure that was her home. "You don't have to walk behind me the whole time. You're making it obvious that you aren't accustomed to this sort of thing."

Zelda mumbled something under her breath that was difficult to hear over the sound of street vendors counting their rupees, street performers trying to earn rupees, shoppers spending rupees, heralds telling the public about rupees, and children playing games of catch with green rupees. Money indeed made the world go around.

"It's good for you to see this kind of thing." Link smiled a reassuring smile. "This is the reality of your kingdom."

Zelda knew Link was correct. She had seen Kakariko and Ordon up close, but she had never seen the world that was just outside her window for what it truly was.

"If we had more time, I'd show you around a little more. There's this restaurant where all the waitresses have wheels on their shoes and they zip around on them. You'd just love it! There's nothing else quite like it, really." Link blushed a bit, realizing it would have been like a date had he done such a thing. "I used to go there all the time on my free days while I was working at the castle."

Zelda gave Link a grateful smile. "Maybe some other time?"

Link went red in the face again as he looked away. "Um, sure!"

The crowd of people began to become larger and larger. Zelda tried to stay close to Link, as she couldn't afford to lose him. Eventually Zelda linked arms with the young hero and smiled a coy smile. "Just in case I get lost."

* * *

"So, gentlemen, it is decided." Solomon, one of the senior councilmen, cleared his throat as the queen's council gathered once more in their stuffy meeting room. "Majesty will be forced to abdicate upon her return."

"Are you sure? Majesty does a very good job." Another councilman named Jervis argued. "I could see her turning into one of the favourites of future scholars."

Solomon fixed his glasses and sighed. "It is absolute. She is an illegitimate heir. She will have to pay for her ancestor's sins."

"Oh, come on now, you can't blame old Zelda the Sixth for having a little fun on the side. Erik wasn't the pinnacle of perfect and he _was_ rather boring. The man collect chess sets as a hobby for goodness sake!" Another councilman argued. "If I was a woman and I was unhappy in my marriage, and then some handsome, heroic looker came along, I'd jump him the moment I saw a chance to."

"He has a point. We still have dozens upon dozens of Erik's chess sets in storage. Think of how old Zelda the Sixth felt about that. All women dream of being swept off their feet by some heroic Casanova, and the Hero of Twilight fit the bill perfectly. The fact that she was not allowed to have him, probably made it even more appealing." Another councilman added.

"I'd hardly consider the Hero of Twilight to be a Casanova. Sure he could charm the skirt off of any woman in Hyrule, but I don't think he was even aware of his charms or his appeal to women." A bald, pudgy councilman retorted. "I don't think he _got around_ that much, or at all for that matter. He was generally a very chivalrous, loving and clean slate kind of man. He was also hero to our people. Well deserving of the love of a monarch if you ask me."

Solomon grabbed the old diary off of the conference room table and then began to flip through it.

"Solomon, it says right there in that book that the former queen wished to marry to Hero of Twilight, but was not allowed. Do you see what mess we are in for following such stuffy tradition? It could take months to track down the new heir. We'll have to look at Zelda the Sixth's great uncles and aunts and their decedents... if there are any left!" Jervis argued back. "Let's not forget the cost of such an excursion! We can't fund such a thing while we are trying to repair a country! To repair a country, we need a suitable leader, and I think the young majesty is doing a damn fine job at that. I'm sure our fellow councilmen and the people of Hyrule would agree." Jervis stood up from his chair and waved his arms around. "Why can't we just overlook this? It is a waste of time. Why does it matter so much? Who cares if someone in her majesty's bloodline was a bastard child? That was such a long time ago that no one even remembers the royal birth of Laertes. The point is that Laertes' mother was queen, and it was from her side that he inherited the throne. He was his mother's son right to the end. Erik loved Laertes like he was his own, and as far as he knew, he was his son. Maybe it wasn't right to keep such secrets, but be reasonable; Laertes was not any less of a son of Hyrule just because his father was not married to the monarch! If anything, he loved this land even more because he inherited his real father's patriotism."

"But it is not right, you old windbag!" Solomon barked as he threw Zelda VI's diary back onto the table. "One woman's romantic tryst threw tradition out of order!"

"Who cares if it is not right? The hell with tradition! We have a perfectly decent monarch who can lead us into the future! Isn't that what we've wanted all along? We can't just throw her away like last week's waste. Her father had us scrambling to clean up his messes; and here she is cleaning up behind herself! She's royal, through and through, it's in her blood to lead!"

"Amen." nodded a few of the other councilmen.

"As head of her majesty's council, I refuse to budge on this issue." Solomon growled. "Tradition is tradition and majesty's birthright is corrupt."

"Now hang on just a second! If her majesty is put out of power, you could lose your job! We could all lose our jobs! She only kept you in power because she thought you did a decent job for her father and she wasn't sure on how to pick new council. If we put some extreme, liberal nobody into power, the council may not even exist!" Jervis shouted.

"I say we vote on the matter. All those in favour of forcing majesty into abdication raise their hands now or forever old your peace." A councilman with a long, white beard that had been groomed and braided into a bow sighed as he raised his right hand. He then began to count as several other councilmen sharply or hesitantly raised their hands as well.

Out of the twelve councilmen, eight raised their hands.

"What is wrong with you people!?" Jervis groaned as he ran a hand down his face. "You're acting like a load of scared children. You're only voting this way because you're afraid of Mihari!"

"We are not!" Solomon hissed through his walrus-like beard. "Tradition is important too!"

"So is reason!" Jervis shouted. "Be sensible here! Gentlemen, this is lunacy! Maybe even treason! We don't have the money to fund such a project that is as tedious as tracing down distant relatives of the crown! If there is someone out there to replace her majesty, they probably aren't even aware of their lineage. For all we know, they could be farmhands at some ranch in a faraway land! They would not be tailored for the top job like her majesty has been."

"We've voted. That's final." bellowed a councilman with a strange, oval shaped beard. "We cannot waste any more time. We have received a message from the search party that they have found the approximate area of where her majesty is being held. If all is going well, she could be here within the hour. We must think of what we will say to her about our decision."

There was silent agreement among the councilmen. Though Jervis had fought an honourable fight, he knew he had to back down. The vote was eight to four, and majority always reigned supreme in Hyrule.

* * *

"So, how do you think we are going to get inside?" Link mumbled as he and the young queen stood in Castle Town plaza, sizing up the massive structure that was Hyrule Castle. "We can't just walk in there, can we?"

"Are you kidding me? The man convicted for the murder of the king escorting the new queen into the castle after a search party was sent to bring her home? That's not going to work for some people." Zelda sighed cynically. "I don't look like a queen either. So I can't just walk up to the guards and tell them who I am. They'd have me locked up in the loony bin for sure."

"Well, I think the modest villager look makes you look absolutely beautiful." Link blurted out, not realizing he was speaking his thoughts.

"Oh." Zelda blushed a bit as she pulled her ponytail over her shoulder and ran her fingers through it. "Thank you..."

Link cleared his throat as he felt his cheeks burning up again. "You're welcome..."

They stood for another five minutes starring up at the jarring size of the castle. Zelda had never realized how massive the building actually was.

Link looked over to see Zelda's eyes still wide with astonishment. Before he could say anything he heard a ruckus in one of the distant crowds.

"That's him! Sweet Nayru, it's him!" cried a woman. "The one that killed the king! I remember him!"

Link glanced over while Zelda remained in her astonished trance. He saw a woman dressed in a castle chambermaid's attire screaming at the top of her lungs and pointing directly at him.

The young hero widened his eyes and gasped as he reached for Zelda's hand. "We gotta go."

"Why?" Zelda snapped out of her trance with her home and gave Link a worried stare.

"I've been called out!" Link explained quickly as he tugged on Zelda's arm.

"Guards! Guards, get over here now! I recognize the little devil too!" called a man.

"How did they recognize you?" Zelda shook her head in disbelief, refusing to run off with Link.

"I worked with them! Let's go!" Link squeezed Zelda's hand and began to push through the crowds of confused bystanders. He felt Zelda stumble a bit as she tried to keep up and not get separated. Separation would have been excruciatingly frustrating for both of them.

But alas, somewhere in the crowds of people that stood too closely together, Zelda's hand slowly slipped away from Link's leather gloved grasp.

Link stopped in his tracks and moment he realized he no longer had another hand in his grip. He turned to see a barricade of puzzled aristocrats blocking the path behind him.

"Zelda!" he shouted as he stood on his tip-toes, trying to see over the people. The young hero jumped up and down several times, trying to catch view of the young monarch. "Zelda!"

"Who is this _Zelda_ you are crying out for, mate?" grumbled a raspy man's voice from behind Link.

The young hero could hear the sound of a wooden batons being lightly smacked down into fleshy palms behind him. He turned to see five knights with unimpressed scowls on their faces, looking at him with blood lust in their eyes.

"You wouldn't be happening to be talkin' 'bout the queen, would ya?" the raspy voiced knight inquired as he continued to smack the baton down into his left hand.

"Coming to finish the job? Is that it?" roared another knight that had a very youthful voice. Link assumed he was one of the newer recruits considering his voice was not as aged as the other man's. "You got her dear old dad, might as well bump her off too while you're still young."

"You must be some kind of fool to come back here, boy." another knight chuckled. "Foolish brave."

"Well don't go getting any ideas. We're taking you in! And your head will be short of it's body by sunset." The raspy voiced knight stated before pointing his wooden baton at Link. "Get him."

Link froze in place as two knights grabbed his arms, forced them behind his back and slapped a pair of rusty shackled onto his wrists. He was stripped of his weapons as the crowds began to clap at the arrest.

The knights then pushed him into an alleyway and away from public view.

"Let's soften him up for the torture chamber, boys." The raspy voiced knight ordered.

"Wait!" Link tried to protest.

"We'll show you what happens to punks that assassinate Hyrule's monarch!" the raspy voice knight growled.

Link was thrown to the ground and beaten senselessly for who knows how long. Each strike of the wooden batons numbed his body and bruised more than his skin. He lost all consciousness after being clubbed over the head within the first five minutes of the attack.

"Zelda..." he mumbled as the knights picked him up and dragged him to a secret dungeon entrance through the Castle Town sewer system.

* * *

"Link? Link!" Zelda shouted as she scurried through the crowds like a lost puppy. She grabbed onto a man's shoulder and jumped up, trying to give herself a little more leverage. "Link!"

It had happened, exactly what she feared, separation from Link. She was a stranger in her own backyard. She did not know anything about the streets of Castle Town or what the people were really like. She was on her own and she was lost.

She knew in her heart that Link had been captured by guards and taken away. She just knew it. And her heart sank as she thought about him being locked away in the dungeon one more time.

"What do I do?" Zelda murmured as she shuffled through the crowds of busy people. She heard whispers about Link, about her, about her father, and about a monster attack on the town.

"The knights sure cleaned up that hydra in a jiffy." A shopkeeper laughed in astonishment as he swept his front steps.

"I'd say. They couldn't spare having something like that out in the open." Commented one of the shoppers as they browsed through a bargain bin. "That side of town is still in shambles though."

"A hydra?" Zelda swallowed hard and whispered to herself as she continued on her nervous walk. "What happened here when I was gone?"

After walking around in circles for nearly fifteen minutes and having the feeling that everything was going to go from bad to worse, Zelda bumped into someone most unexpected.

"Sherri." Zelda mumbled as she watched one of her ladies-in-waiting scurry into a bakery. She knew it was one of her trusted staff and she knew she needed to get back into the castle as soon as possible. "Sherri!"

The young woman turned around and stared at Zelda for a moment before gasping and running to her side. Sherri recognized her employer underneath her modest facade. "Majesty!"

"Shhh!" Zelda hushed.

"What are you doing 'ere?" Sherri questioned, her Vidish accent burning through. "Where are your guards?"

"Please get me into the castle as soon as possible. I can't help but think something bad has happened." Zelda pleaded.

"Of course, majesty!" Sherri nodded as she linked arms with the queen and quickly hurried her to the castle gates.

* * *

Slow clapping echoed in the darkness. Link raised his head and felt his body to be weak. He looked up and felt the burning sensation of the rusty shackles that held his arms to the wall digging deeply into his skin.

He was sitting alone on the floor and could not see anything in the pitch back room. He felt a pang of pain grow on his right cheek from some sort of laceration that he could not remember.

The clapping grew louder.

"Well look at you! I played you like a fiddle then snapped your strings." An unmistakably seductive male voice chuckled in the darkness over the clapping.

"Ghirahim..." Link bit his lip gently and tasted the metallic favour of blood.

The clapping subsided.

"Look at this!" Link felt a cold hand swiftly grab his chin. "Free delivery, plus free capture and free torture. There must be a promotional deal going on or something. I didn't even have to lift a figure to get you here!"

"Don't touch me, you... you homicidal snake!" Link shouted as he jerked his head away from Ghirahim's hand.

"Ruuuuuuuuuuuuu! Why, aren't you the feisty one?" Ghirahim laughed sarcastically. "Still got a little fight left in you, eh, lover boy?"

Link raised his eyebrows as he began to see that Ghirahim must have been watching him and Zelda all along. He had even seen their ridiculous flirting. So now Ghirahim was even more certain that he could use Link's adoration for Zelda in his favour.

"Yes, I saw it all. You really have no clue, boy." Ghirahim teased in the darkness. "She obviously wants you like a homeless person wants a bowl of stew. The girl asked you to a ball for goodness sakes!"

Link said nothing but the clapping started again.

"What do you want? Why are you here?" Link growled realizing he and Zelda had walked into a trap. "I'm not in the mood for your mind games."

"How rudely abrupt of you!" Ghirahim hissed and halted the clapping again. "I take time out of my busy schedule to see you suffering and all you can do is cut me to pieces with words!"

"I'll do a lot more than that as soon as I get out of here!" Link shouted as he tried to pull his wrists from the shackles. "Where am I?"

"You should feel right at home, lover boy." Ghirahim laughed. "You are in a prisoner holding room. This is an isolated room where they hold prisoners that are due to be executed. The room itself is a kind of torture as it is pitch black in here and all you can hear in your heart beating in your chest, the shackles digging into your flesh and your stomach growling with starvation. You have no concept of time either. When the door opens again, it will be the executioner here to collect you for your date with the guillotine."

"Get lost!" Link barked as he tried to pull himself off of the floor, but he was too weak to do so. "You're only here to see me suffer. Don't you have other things to do?"

Ghirahim was silent for a moment, leading Link to believe the demon lord had left the room. But it was not the case. "You know, you're right. As much as I'd like to sit here and watch you spiral into agony –and you know how much I would-I have to go and snag up a special girl for my date with destiny. I'm sure you know her, she likes being on top, if you know what I mean."

Link's eyes widened, ignoring Ghirahim's vulgar remark. "Zelda..."

"So long sucker! It's been fun!" Ghirahim sighed nostalgically. "But soon you will die. And I'll be there, in the background cheering you on, just like I always have."

"You won't get away with any of this, Ghirahim!" Link snarled as he felt a fighting fire burning in his gut. "When I get out of here, you're finished!"

"You'll never get out of here alive you misguided fool!" Ghirahim shouted back. Link felt a firm slap cross his face. "They will take you from this room and into the execution grounds! That's it! You're history and my master is the future! Hyrule will burn!"

"I'll still stop you." Link whispered. His soft spoken voice echoed in the darkened room. "Even if they chop off my head, the rest of my body will find you and put an end your rampage!"

"Strong words from a dead fool." Ghirahim sighed. The sound of fingers being snapped rang through the room and Link knew that Ghirahim had left him alone.

Link sighed and hung his head down in shame. He realized he had failed his purpose. "We've lost."

* * *

Sherri had proven good to her word. Zelda had been run into the safety of her castle. But instead of being given the comfort of her private apartments, Zelda had been rushed into the conference room of her senior council to discuss certain pending matters.

"So, majesty, you have three days to write an abdication speech." Solomon explained as Zelda sat petrified at the other end of the conference room table.

"What?" Zelda snapped out of her trance. "What is going on here? This is treason!"

"We've explained it to you, majesty." Solomon rolled his eyes slightly. "You are an illegitimate heir, a great, great granddaughter of Zelda the Sixth and the Hero of Twilight. Her honourable majesty's diary confirms it."

Honourable majesty was a title reserved for monarchs that had honourably abdicated in favour of one of their heirs. Zelda VI had abdicated in favour of her son, Laertes, when she was middle aged.

Zelda watched as Solomon threw the familiar brown book down onto the conference table. She reached for it and picked it up. "Where did you get this?"

"Mihari gave it to us. He says he found it in the royal gardens, under some rose bushes. Strange place for a piece of history, don't you agree?" Jervis explained.

_I knew I should have hidden it under my mattress. _Zelda furrowed her brow as he began to flip through the book like she had done so many times before.

"There were letters as well." Solomon continued as he reached into his orange robes and produced a bundle of envelopes. He tossed them onto the table as well. "The Hero of Twilight himself wrote them."

Zelda glanced at them. She did not want to let on that she had already read almost everything the book and the letters had to over. And she really didn't want anyone finding out that she was the one that hid the items in such a poor spot.

"How interesting..." Zelda continued to flip through the diary, glancing over pages she had seen before. "But who is going to replace me, hm?"

Solomon ran his fingers through his beard and sighed. "We're looking into that."

"Hyrule will be without a head of state until you find someone. That could take a very long time, gentlemen. This country cannot afford to be without leadership for more than a week." Zelda bit her lip. She was trying to play the calm, collected monarch, but inside she was screaming with rage.

"We understand that. The council will control everything until a successor is found." Solomon explained.

The councilmen around the room widened their eyes in surprise.

"Pardon me?" Jervis gasped. "Solomon, that's ridiculous! We only provide advice and guidance to the monarch. There are many occasions when we do not agree on anything! The monarch takes what we have to say and then compromises. We could not handle the country!"

"Why don't I stay in power until you find a successor?" Zelda sighed. "Then you can compare us and see who is fit for the top job."

Jervis looked at Zelda in surprise. "Majesty, you're actually okay with your throne being usurped right from under you?"

'Of course not, Jervis." Zelda stood up and grinned. "I am actually quite annoyed. And if I could, I would have you all thrown out of here for caving into Mihari's wishes. But I will humour your stupidity simply to prove you all wrong. I am Hyrule's undoubted queen, and it should not matter if my great, great grandfather wasn't my great, great grandmother's official husband! That was too long ago to even be concerned about."

Solomon shook his head as he and the other councilmen stood at attention. "Majesty, we appreciate your cooperation."

"Indeed you should. I will go and write this speech, but I pray I will never have to recite it to my people." Zelda turned and speed walked to the door. "Now, if you do not mind, I have somewhere to be."

She knocked firmly on the solid wood. The doors were opened by two knights that bowed their heads when Zelda quickly walked by them and down the hallway.

The doors slammed shut, leaving the councilmen alone to bicker once more.

* * *

Zelda began to lightly jog towards the entrance to the royal gardens. She hurried across the balcony that overlooked the grounds below. Over the railing to her right she could see outside and into the colourful flora and fauna.

"Down there somewhere. Just a little bit farther!" Zelda whispered to herself as she could see the marble staircase coming into her field of vision.

"Majesty!" a familiar seductive voice called from behind her. "What are you doing all alone?"

Zelda spun around to see Ghirahim grinned at her. "Ghirahim."

"I know what you're doing, and I will not let you do it." Ghirahim raised his right hand. "I cannot let you corrupt my plans again."

"Go to hell, Ghirahim." Zelda growled as she back away.

"Now, that isn't very ladylike. Remember your training, majesty. Monarchs do not talk like that." Ghirahim laughed as he made his right hand into a fist and crackled his knuckle. "And about going to hell, I've already been there. It is quite nice."

Zelda felt her body lock up in fear. _Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. You can outwit this guy, Zelda, you've done it before._

"Goodnight, majesty." Ghirahim slowly opened his hand and before Zelda to react she was hit with a bright red flash of light. She then collapsed to the fine marble floors and blacked out.

* * *

**Review it! The poll is officially closed. I have chosen the winner (as the poll was way too close). I am now mapping the next story. Thank you!**


	41. An Unexpected Meeting

_(A/N: If possible, listen to the Skyward Sword rendition of "Zelda's Lullaby" while reading Zelda's 'dream sequence' in this chapter. Enjoy and thank you for your support. Much love. –Infamous 5/29/13)_

* * *

**Act 41: _An_ _Unexpected Meeting_**_**  
**_

Screams and wails of pain echoed through the winding passageways of the castle dungeon. Of course they could not be heard by those confined to the solitary chambers in the deepest bowels of the dungeon. Those in the chambers were murderers, psychopaths and white collar crooks. It was no place for an innocent kitchen boy or a newly awakened hero.

_This is what Zelda saved me from. _Link squeezed his eyes tightly and gridded his teeth in the complete darkness. _What am I going to do?_

"Master Link." Murmured a monotone voice in the infinite darkness.

Link snapped his eyes open. "Fi?"

She was nowhere to be seen in the dark, solitary cell. Link assumed he was hearing things until he heard the monotone voice call once more. "Master Link."

"Fi!" Link looked around and still saw nothing. "Where are you? Where have you been?"

"I have very little power because I have long been separated from a sword. I have followed and watched you, but you could not see or hear me as it takes much energy to interject." Fi's sober voice replied. "When you retrieve the Master Sword, I will be able to redeem more power."

"Well that explains why you disappear and reappear all the time." Link murmured as he felt the scar on his face beginning to throb again. The throbbing made Link think back to his current situation. "What is it you want anyway? Can't you see that we've lost? I don't have a chance of getting the Master Sword now. I'm dead."

"You mustn't give up, master." Fi's calm voice reassured. "You have been reborn for a reason. You are the only one who will be able defeat Ghirahim as you are the only one that can remove the Master Sword from it's resting place."

Link was quiet as he tried to ignore the pain he felt on his face. He thought about Fi's words. He was indeed the only one that could pull the sword, thus being able to use it to defeat Ghirahim. He knew he could not give up as Hyrule was relying on him, Zelda was relying on him.

"Zelda has been captured by Ghirahim." Fi spoke up. "Master Link, I suggest you make haste to leave here and rescue the descendant of her grace."

Link's head shot up in shock and dread at Fi's comment. "No!"

"There is an eighty-five percent chance that Ghirahim will be able to break into your Zelda's mind and unravel the secrets of her existence that are needed to revive his master. Though the Triforce of Wisdom protects her, there is a chance that it will not be enough to withstand Ghirahim's mind games."

"I gotta get out of here!" Link gasped as he raddled the shackles that attached his wrists to the wall. "Zelda needs my help!"

"My sensors detect a guard coming down the southern staircase. There is a seventy-five percent chance that he has come to collect you for execution. I suggest trying to get away when he comes for you." Fi divulged as her monotone voice faded into the sound of the clicking boots that stood outside the solitary cell's door.

Link stared to where the sound was coming from. It was the darkened left corner of the room. Link assumed that this was where the door was and that the guard would come through it at any moment, blinding Link with the light of the outside world.

Link swallowed hard as he heard jingling keys being fumbled around._ Here we go..._

* * *

The flowers began to wilt as bizarre, purple smoke resonated throughout the once beautiful spectacle that was the royal gardens.

Strange steam resonated from the pores in Zelda's skin as Ghirahim wiggled his fingers as he waved his hands four feet above the young monarch's unconscious body.

He mumbled something in a strange language and closed his eyes.

On the young monarch's forehead, in black ink, the demon lord had drawn a square with an upside down triangle inside of it. Inside the triangle was a small diamond shape. Though it was not the mark for soul transference, it was the mark of soul extraction.

Ghirahim's wishes of dark designs involved extracting Zelda's soul. But to do that, he needed to tap into the queen's mind and unlock the code to her essence.

"Once I get you to open the doors of your existence, I will be able to strip the divinity out of your mortal soul and be able to resurrect my master once and for all."

Zelda's face had a pained expression that only grew with every passing moment. Though she looked peaceful in her unconscious state on the grassy grounds of the gardens, a storm was brewing in Zelda's mind.

* * *

"Zelda. Zelda." A voice rang through the young monarch's ears. "Come on, get up, my dear. Please tell me that you're tougher than this."

Zelda struggled to open her eyes. She shook and quivered for a moment as she bared her teeth.

"Huh?" Zelda sat up as she realized she was sitting a pitch black room, illuminated only by a single door that glowed with an enticing yellow hue. "Where am I? This isn't the castle!"

"You're in the innermost part of your mind." Answered the voice. The voice was firm yet compassionate, but it was hard to tell if it was male of female as Zelda sized up the interesting door. "That door is the gateway to your sanity, intelligence, morality, and most of all, your existence."

The young monarch picked herself off the ground and continued to stare at the single door in curiosity. It was nothing special, just a standard, seven foot tall door. It was very plain. But the diamond shaped handle was what truly caught Zelda's eye, as it appeared to be made of a real diamond.

She approached the door with caution. Something made her want to open it, or at least grip the handle.

Zelda then felt a firm hand slap down on her right shoulder and grab hold. "Do not open it. You will die."

Zelda turned her head ninety degrees to the right to see the feminine and nimble fingers that were covered by a long white glove gripped tightly into her shoulder.

"Ghirahim!" Zelda gasped as she lunged forward, breaking the grip the hand had on her shoulder.

"No, he's the one that is trying to get into your psyche." The voice corrected as the clicking of fancy shoes echoed in the darkened room. "I on the other hand..."

Zelda looked up in disbelief and saw the figure that the hand was attached to. "You're... you're... Zelda the Sixth."

The yellow light illuminated the queen of old's face and showed that she had a subtle smirk draw across it as she nodded.

"Honourable majesty!" Zelda bowed respectfully in disbelief. "How? You're dead, aren't you?"

Zelda VI gave her descendent a shrewd stare in return. "And here I thought you were a smart girl."

"I am!" Zelda defended herself. "I just don't understand how you're here!"

Zelda VI gave young Zelda a loving smile as she began to explain. "I am a projection of your psyche. When royal children are born, a projection spell is placed on them in case anything like this ever happens to them in their lifetime. The spell displays the presence of an individual that the royal child admires the most. This has been done since the days of the Hero of Time as our family has a bad record of getting captured by villains and put into a comatose-like state."

"So, you're just something my imagination created?" Zelda was slightly disappointed by the idea.

"No. I speak to you from a place that is very far away from where you are now, using a type of astral projection. Your psyche projects my messages to you. It is a rather complicated spell to explain, but it is useful, no?" Zelda VI shrugged. "If I had not appeared, you would have opened that door and surrendered your mortal being to Ghirahim and he would have been able to revive his master by now."

Young Zelda's eyes widened. In some way, this was indeed the real Zelda VI. Young Zelda had often dreamed of meeting her ancestor during the many hours she spent sitting in the hall of portraits and staring at the specific one of Zelda VI. But the dream had become real, and Zelda did not know if she should be happy or upset. Happy, because Zelda VI was an idol of young Zelda's and there were times when she wished Zelda VI was her mother. Upset because Zelda VI's deception had caused so much trouble.

Tears began to well up in Zelda's eyes. She tried to mask them and wipe them off with her arm, but only more tears continued to rain out of the corners of her eyes.

Zelda VI continued to smiling lovingly at her descendent. She was not even fazed by her successor's blunt burst of tears.

"You are very beautiful, Zelda, even when you cry." Zelda VI stated proudly as she wiped the tears off of young Zelda's cheeks with her thumb. "I never had any daughters of my own to say that to. So it is quite nice to finally say that to one of my granddaughters."

Zelda continued to feel the hot, burning sensation of fresh tears roll down her face. She wiped them away again and began to laugh a bit at how foolish she must have looked.

Zelda VI then gracefully extended her right hand. "Quite dark in here, no? Let us go somewhere with more light."

Through her tears, Zelda glanced at her predecessor's hand and gently placed her right hand into her ancestor's. She saw the back of her right hand, along with Zelda the Sixth's right hand glow a brilliant yellow. Zelda shut her eyes, trying to shield them from the light and then felt the former queen squeeze her hand.

* * *

Zelda opened her eyes to see that she was now standing in a meadow that was the purest form of green. The meadow was flat and one could not see anything in the distance. There were no mountains or hills in the meadow, only a lone, healthy, oak tree sat peacefully to Zelda's left. There was nothing above her but clear, blue skies for miles that seemed to roll onward for eternity.

"Much better." Zelda VI's regal and comforting voice giggled a bit. She grabbed young Zelda's left hand and stepped back a bit. "Now, let's have a better look at you."

Zelda returned her ancestor's judging gaze. It had been dark in the other setting so it was difficult for young Zelda to get a decent view of her ancestor. But in the new light, she could see perfectly.

The former queen looked just as she had when she was in her Twilight Era prime. Her eyes were not sad and docile like many accounted them to be. They were the eyes of a woman that was content and had found some form of inner peace. She looked, sounded and felt real, even though she was a projection. Everything from the twinkle in her eye to the glittering sparkle of her Triforce earrings seemed realistic down to the last detail. But unlike real people, Zelda VI was not warm. Her hands felt rather cold as they gripped Zelda's.

Before young Zelda could speak, her ancestor spoke first and ran a gentle hand down young Zelda's face. "Yes, you truly are beautiful, my dear. The dim lighting does not do you nearly as much justice as this light does."

Zelda still felt the heat of fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. She tried to laugh them away.

"What's so funny?" Zelda VI raised an eyebrow in question.

"It's just... your hair, honourable majesty, is more brown than I expected." Zelda admitted. "The portraits don't portray you correctly."

It was true. Zelda VI's hair was more brown than blonde. It seemed like the painters that had painted the royal portraits of the former queen had a problem matching the paint colour with the queen's hair as it was nowhere near the shade that they had depicted.

"It's called artistic liberty, dear. At least, that's what I like to call it." Zelda VI rolled her eyes, as if remembering that the paintings were not accurate.

The former queen let go of Zelda's hand and nodded as her voice took on a very serious tone, "Now, onto more pressing issues."

Young Zelda wiped the tears out of her eyes one last time. They had stopped flowing completely at this point. Her face had become slightly uncomfortable because of the drying teardrops.

Zelda VI turned away from her successor, showing only her back to her. "This is my fault. If I had dealt with Ghirahim in the first place, you would not be suffering now."

"Pardon me?" Young Zelda gasped a bit in confusion.

"My youngest son had made a friend in Ghirahim, and I was just happy for that fact. My Percival was socially awkward compared to my Laertes. Therefore it was difficult for him to make friends." Zelda VI crossed her arms in concern as she creased her brow. "I felt it in my soul that Ghirahim was not to be trusted. Laertes told me this as well, and I still would not listen. It was foolish on my part."

"So how is this your fault?" Zelda shook her head in confusion.

"Ghirahim told Percival of the affair the Hero of Twilight and I had had, and gave him the idea that I did not love him as much as Laertes because Laertes was my hero's son. This obviously would greatly upset anyone." Zelda VI murmured regretfully. "My youngest son felt cheated and lied to, as if the relationship between his father and I was a complete fabrication, which it wasn't. I _loved_ Erik, truly I did. But..."

The former queen's voice began to trail off.

"But you were _in love_ with the Hero of Twilight." Young Zelda finished her ancestor's statement. "Correct?"

"Yes. Deeply so."

Zelda could see her ancestor was struggling to admit the facts, even after years of doing who knows what in the afterlife. "You _are_ quite clever, my dear." Zelda VI forced a soft laugh as she turned and faced her descendent.

"I read your journal and the letters, so it helps a bit." Zelda admitted bashfully, as if worried her ancestor would get angry with her.

"You did?" Zelda VI's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes. It was all quite romantic, honestly." Zelda clarified. "Your only crime was being in love with someone you couldn't have."

Zelda VI raised her eyebrows and then laughed loudly. "Oh, I _had_ him alright."

Young Zelda's face went bright red in embarrassment after hearing her ancestor's words that implied something much more sinister than having someone over for tea and scones. She could not believe her ears. A former queen that had been believed to be a stoic pillar of strength was speaking like a brothel girl.

"I'm sorry, dear." Zelda VI silenced her laughter. "I just remember this time when we were in the royal gardens looking at the spring lilies, and he _tripped_ and fell on me and right there in the garden we-

"Honourable majesty!" Young Zelda's face burned even a brighter red as she interrupted her ancestor.

"I'm so sorry, dear! I've just kept these stories and feelings to myself for such a long time that I sometimes forget who I am speaking to." Zelda VI nodded as she returned to her usual regal expression. "Good confidants are hard to come by, but you probably know that."

Young Zelda nodded respectfully as she tried to regain her composure and get back to a more innocent topic. "But you were in love with him..."

"Very much so." Zelda VI nodded as her royal mannerisms returned. "Ghirahim used my affair against me and my family, and was able to manipulate my son into the dark lobby. I believe it was punishment for what I -for what we- did. What we did hurt so many people even though our common goal in life was to help people."

"But you only wanted to be happy, and you made each other happy." Zelda shook her head rationally, trying to find reason.

"Yes, but, if you hadn't notice yet, my dear, people like us are not meant to lead incredibly happy lives." Zelda VI forced troubled a smile. "We can simulate happiness for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month or even a year. But late at night when you are alone in your thoughts, you know that you cannot truly be happy. You were born to live for people other than yourself."

Zelda looked at the healthy, green grass beneath her feet in defeat. "It's like the weight of the world."

"I too dealt with the weight, as did your other predecessors. The key is to find one or two things that make you truly happy. For me, it was the Hero of Twilight and my children. I lived for them. When I was with them, my happiness was real." Zelda VI then gave her successor a genuine smile. "And from what I've seen, you're pretty close to happiness yourself. When you find something or someone that makes you happy, fight for them no matter what, as finding happiness is very difficult for people like us."

Young Zelda glanced away. "But what if I'm not allowed to have the thing that makes me happy?"

Zelda VI narrowed her eyes. "You are the Queen of Hyrule, you can do as you please. Your council is only a council, not a life coaching team."

Perhaps it was how Zelda VI lovingly called young Zelda 'dear' or how she could so easily put young Zelda's nerves at ease. Whatever it was, young Zelda felt very comfortable around her predecessor. It was especially refreshing for a girl who had too often felt like she had no family. Being spoken to in such a fond and authentic way made Zelda feel as if she was loved; it was a feeling she was not quite accustomed to, especially for a girl that had always been ignored by her father.

Zelda returned the smile but her thoughts trailed to the task at hand. "Do you know how beat Ghirahim?"

Zelda VI released a soft sigh as he tapped her index finger on her forehead as if she were terribly vexed by the question. "I was getting to that."

Young Zelda eagerly waited for her ancestor's answer, but at some point she realized that the former queen did not have an answer.

"Uhm, honourable majesty?" young Zelda raised her eyebrows in surprise. No sound left Zelda VI's mouth as her peaceful gaze turned into one plagued with trouble.

"I do not know how you can defeat him." The old queen divulged with much regret in her voice. "I am not the person to ask such a question to. Perhaps if _someone else_ were being project to you, they could form a reasonable answer."

"Someone else? Like who?" Zelda questioned frantically.

The former queen looked up at the blue sky and closed her eyes and sighed. "I don't think I can tell you that either. I'm not allowed to. It is a surprise best saved for the next life."

"If you don't tell me how we can beat Ghirahim, then I will find out the secret in the next life sooner than later!" Zelda snapped in frustration. "Ghirahim is the reason for so much bloodshed! He has killed and hurt many in his conquests. Honourable majesty, you of all people should know that this cannot be allowed to carry on any longer! You have to tell me something!"

Zelda VI lowered her head and looked at young Zelda with narrow, intelligent eyes. "Do not go searching for answers in a place where you will find none. You will only stumble, fall and die on your quest for the truth. The truth comes to those who deserve to see it, not necessarily to those that desperately search for it. Remember this."

Zelda widened her eyes at her ancestor's wise words. Zelda VI was often cited as one of the most quotable people in the history of modern Hyrule, and young Zelda had finally seen why. Zelda VI was enlightened, and the afterlife had only increased her wisdom.

"I will." Zelda nodded.

The former queen stepped closer to her descendent and then grabbed both of her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes. "I believe in you, Zelda. You have my name, you have my title, you have my kingdom, you have my blood, you have my ears, you have my love, and you have my trust. This should be more than enough to help you beat the demon lord. You are a clever girl after all."

"And if it isn't?"

Zelda VI gave young Zelda a crooked grin. "Well, you always have the Hero of Twilight's nerve. You have that, and a handsome hero friend. Every woman wants one of those as they are come by."

Zelda blushed a bit at her ancestor's words. "You know about him?"

"Well, my dear, we have to do something to keep us busy in the afterlife. So we spy on our families." Zelda VI admitted. "You've been the most interesting person to watch in the last few decades, to be honest. This is why I am so proud of you; you have taken such strides so early in your reign."

"Well, at least you are. My father never was."

Zelda VI gave the young monarch a sympathetic stare as she rested her right hand on Zelda's right shoulder. "Your father fussed about you so much that he did not have time to say such things. But in his heart, he knew you would one day obtain the greatness that always escaped his grasp. He was proud of this fact, and even a little envious."

"How do you know that?"

Zelda VI raised her eyebrows before tapping on her decedent's temple with her index finger. "We can spy on our families. This spying also includes their private thoughts."

Young Zelda understandably felt somewhat violated when she thought about her many ancestors reading into her thoughts whenever it suited their fancy, as if it were just some sort of game.

"Do not read too much into this, my dear." Zelda VI sighed. "It's not like we're using your thoughts against you. It is simply something everyone does at one point or another out of sheer curiosity."

Young Zelda looked at the grassy ground beneath her feet.

"I must be going now. I have stopped you from letting Ghirahim into your mind. I have served my purpose here." Zelda VI's voice trailed as she cupped young Zelda's face with her hands and stared into her eyes.

"But what do I do!?" Young Zelda panicked as she saw Zelda VI becoming transparent.

"Wake up, dear. That is where you should start." Zelda VI gave her descendent one final smile of reassurance. "I will say 'hello' to your parents for you. I promise that it will be a little while longer before you get to see them again."

Young Zelda felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes again. She did not speak nor whimper.

"You will do many great things, dear, just have faith."

Zelda tightly shut her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling, but this did nothing but make the tears roll down her cheeks.

Zelda VI brushed the tears off of Zelda's face one last time before nodding. "I place this final burden upon you; destroy that troublesome demon that has bothered our family. He took my son from me, he took my son's grandchildren from him, he took your parents from you, and now he wishes to take you from your people. As monarch, do not let this stand."

As Zelda opened her eyes she watched as Zelda VI faded away and disappeared from sight, leaving her alone in the meadow. "I will avenge you, all of you, I promise."

* * *

**Review it! As I said before, the poll is officially closed. I will disclose the winner to you on the final chapter. Final chapter is coming up soon!**


	42. Master of the Sword

_(A/N: I had hoped to be finished this story by now, so I must apologize for the delay of this chapter, and I am sorry if this is not eventful in the sense that you wanted. I've been very busy and rather stressed for the last while. There have been some curveballs thrown at me in my personal life. Please stay with me. We're almost done. I promise to continue to keep my eyes on the finish line as long as you continue to support me. Deal? Much love as always. - Infamous 7/2/13)_

* * *

**Act 42: **_**Master of the Sword**_

Aged keys jingled nosily as a castle knight sifted through his large, rusted key ring. "Where the devil is it?" he mumbled under his breath, trying to find the specific one that would unlock the braced door in front of him.

All the keys looked the same. The only things that set them apart from each other where the different positions of their rust marks and the patterns off their teeth.

Link panted gently as he tried to think of a quick plan. The throbbing scar on his cheek divided his attention, as did the taste of blood in his mouth and the burning sensation in his wrists from the shackles.

"Ah, here it is!" coughed the knight as he slowly inserted the aged teeth of the key into the cell's lock. "We really oughta colour code these things."

After some tinkering with the lock, the cogs in the door's locking mechanism clicked together.

Link squinted as he saw a faint torch light flickering in the corner of the room. The door was open and Link listened as the knight's steel boots noisily clanked on the stone floor.

"Well, well, 307, looks like you'll finally be going on that long awaited date with the guillotine, eh?" the knight laughed with the torch light illuminating his close style helmet.

Link said nothing as the knight removed his helmet, placed it on the floor let out a loud and obnoxious sneeze, causing the torch light to tilt towards Link.

"Well, let's move on then, eh?" the knight continued as he flipped through his key ring with his left hand. "Don't worry; you can have your last rites read to you before we drop the blade down on your neck."

"How thoughtful..." Link cleared his throat as he felt the shackles on his right wrist release their hold.

"I'd happily lynch you right here, right now, you know?" the knight growled as he unlocked the shackle on Link's left wrist.

Link gently wrapped his right hand around his left wrist, trying to nurse the shooting pain that rumbled through it from the rusty shackles that had cut into his skin.

The knight clipped the key ring onto his brown belt and then grabbed Link by the collar of his tunic. "C'mon, castle rat, no time to lick your wounds. The law is the law and we have to have you bumped off as soon as we can."

As Link was pulled to his feet one thought and one thought only crossed his mind. _Now or never, I guess._

"Sweet Din, you're heavy. You know for banished riffraff, you sure didn't lose a lot of weight." The knight complained as he grabbed a new pair of handcuff off of his belt and readied to slap them onto Link's wrists. "Now, hold out your hands."

Link obliged and watched as a pair of newer looking, silver cuffs snapped over his wrists in the flickering torchlight.

The knight went to grab the chain that linked to the two cuffs together, but when he did he was met with a most unexpected surprise. Link had put his hands together and tightly intertwined his fingers.

"What do you think you're doing?" the knight quizzed in confusion before Link swung his folded hands upward and into the knight's unprotected jaw.

The knight dropped his torched to the floor as he collapsed to the ground in pain. "You little bastard!"

Link cringed as the silver cuffs ran smoothly over his cuts from the rusty shackles. He hopped around the knight and stood behind him.

The young hero squeezed his eyes shut and folded his hands together again and let loose a strong, single blow to the back of the knight's head.

He heard the steel of the knight's breastplate smashed onto the floor as he opened his eyes to see the knight lying unconscious on the stone floor.

Did Link feel bad? Of course he did. He didn't want to hurt one of the 'good guys'... but if said 'good guy' would deliver him to his untimely end, than he wanted no part of it.

"Now what? I can't just walk out of here. I'll get jumped immediately." Link mumbled as he looked at the knight's armour. This was when he had a very good idea flow into his heroic mind. He would bring new meaning to the age old saying, 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'.

* * *

"Why is this taking so long!?" Ghirahim groaned as he continued his wicked ritual. "You can't possibly be that strong! You must be cheating!"

Zelda's pained expression grew into a toothy scowl.

"Are you fighting back!?" Ghirahim barked in annoyance.

In fact, Zelda was fighting back. In the moments that followed the disappearance of her ancestor's astral projection, Zelda had stood alone in that peaceful and green meadow. But Zelda knew that what she was seeing was not real, and only a place within her mind. Her honourable ancestor had made that very clear to her.

When Zelda became acutely aware of what was going on, a barrage of clouds began to roll in over the blue skies of that once peaceful meadow and Zelda felt the disturbing sensation of warm rain dripping down onto her head as a wave of humidity struck.

It was disturbing as it was not in the least bit refreshing. Warm rain is often very uncomfortable as it rolls down your exposed skin and dampens your clothing.

Zelda blinked and the meadow was no longer a meadow, but instead it was a foggy plain. She felt the chilling warmth of the rain water waking against her ankles as she looked down to see she was standing in three inches of water. The meadow had been flooded and the once healthy oak tree was dead. Not a leaf was left on the decaying branches.

Zelda coughed a bit as she raised her arm and tried to see through the thick fog. "This isn't real. Ghirahim is just trying to get to you. Just stay focused Zelda, you can do this."

The young monarch wandered hopelessly in the fog and the warm rainwater. She could not figure out why she couldn't wake herself up. She was aware that everything was fake, but yet she could not awaken.

And then she felt it, a clammy hand digging into her right shoulder. She knew it was not her honourable ancestor coming to give her more words of encouragement, because in the corner of her eye she saw that the hand was completely black.

She swallowed hard. "Oh boy..."

* * *

The sound of heavy, steel boots echoed through the darkened corridors of the dungeon. Link squinted through the small slits for his eyes in the close helmet that he had stolen from the knight that had come to collect him for execution. He could hear his exhausted breath being echoed back to him within the confines of the heavy helmet.

He adjusted the long, white surcoat that had a red royal coat of arms on the chest. It covered most of his newly acquired armour. It was an awkward garment to wear as it was much different from his usual tunic. Then again, wearing so much armour was awkward for him.

"I could never be a knight." Link mumbled in annoyance as he came to spiral staircase. He then let out a tired and hopeless groan. "Not more stairs!"

"Tybalt, my good man!" a proper and grandstanding voice cheered from the top of the staircase. "Just the man I needed to see!"

"Huh?" Link looked up to see nothing more than a dark silhouette holding a torch.

"It's me, Edmund! I was wondering if you could take my graveyard shift tonight. Remember that girl I told you about? The one I have been keen on courting for several months? Well, we're going to the races this evening!" the silhouette cheered proudly. "The only problem is, I have patrol this evening and all night. So I was wondering if you'd be willing to take my shift for me!"

Link raised his eyebrows as nervous sweat rolled down his forehead. "Uhhhh..."

"Rumour has it, her majesty the queen has inherited several of her father's race horses and they're racing tonight! My money is on the one called _Father's Pride_."

"Uhhhhh..." Link mumbled.

"Are you okay, Tybalt? Usually you're right bonkers about the races." Edmund questioned as he began to come down the stairs and approach Link. "Are you sick? Perhaps I should get Osric instead, so you can go home and get some rest."

"Uhhh... yeah!" Link faked a coughed under the helmet. The sweat on his brow continued to drip down onto the cut in his cheek.

"Hmm... you don't sound right either." Edmund sighed as he began to walk away from Link and down the hallway. "Very well. If you see Osric, tell him to come see me."

"Will do!" Link replied as he began to jog up the stairs.

Edmund turned to see Link rushing up the stone steps and raised an eyebrow. "You move awful fast for a sick person, Tybalt. What were you doing down here anyway?"

"Checking on prisoners!" Link replied as he continued to scale the staircase. "See ya later Edmund!"

"Oh... okay then. Farewell." Edmund shook his head as he continued down the hallway. "Oh, and Tybalt, could you swing by the royal gardens for me and check on my new squire, his name is Charlemagne, and he's an incredibly wayward lad. He and some of the other squires were delivering sharpened tools to the gardeners. Please tell him to seek me out as well. I must speak with him about the monthly jousting tournament."

"Yup!" Link called back. But then he realized what the knight had just said. He had no idea how to get to the gardens based on his current location. But he knew he needed to get to the gardens as soon as possible. "What's the fastest way there, again?"

"Oh, up the stairs, down the hall, on the corner where the confiscated weapon rack is, go right, left, left, left, right and then left again. Go down the stairs, down the hall and to your left you'll see some windows without glass in them that look into the gorgeous flowerbeds. You should be on ground level on the west side of the gardens." Edmund's proper voice answered. "You really must be sick. You can't remember the basic area."

Link did not reply this time and instead he continued on his merry way. _I have to find my stuff and then hurry! Zelda is counting on me!_

* * *

"Whoa!' Zelda screamed as a rapier style sword grazed the top of her head, chopping off a couple strands of hair that were sticking up. "Shave and a haircut? Sorry, but I have a stylist for that... you should know that."

Alas, Zelda was speaking to her attacker, and of course this attacker would know that Zelda got her hair done by a personal stylist once a week. But why would the attacker know such trivial information? Well, when your attacker is someone that is with you no matter how the dawn may break or how the sun sets, you would hope they would know. When your attacker is your shadow, you would hope it had learned something during it's time following you every step of the way.

With burning red eyes that could make even the manliest of men scream for his mommy, the shadow was nothing more than a black silhouette that had taken a psychical form.

The shadow did not speak, but instead continued to swing the rapier at Zelda. The young monarch jumped back with each approaching strike.

She reached for the bow that had been given to her by the people of Kakariko Village, but did not feel the weight of it slung over her shoulder. "Damn."

* * *

"Where's the fire, Tybalt?" called one of the knights that Link hurried passed in a flash. "If you have to piss, just look for a potted plant somewhere. The servants won't know the difference."

Link did not have time to even be disgusted with the knight's crass comment. He didn't want to even think about the times he had helped change the soil in the pots as a young child, before he was assigned his duty on the kitchen staff.

He glanced left and saw an unprotected weapons rack and saw a familiar sight. All of the things that had been taken from him had been neatly set into the rack. The Hylian shield, Gregor's bow, Link's trusty green cap and the rest of his belongings seemed to smile at him, thanking him for finding them again.

He heaved a sigh of relief, though he knew his trials were far from over as he began to take his items back. He looked over his shoulder, through the awkwardly heavy helmet to see if anyone was watching him. Luckily for him, he was alone.

Link did not know what he would do or say had he been caught taking back his belongings. He assumed to he would come up with an excuse that wouldn't make sense to the person questioning him.

He slung the shield over his back and slid the bow over his shoulder. The rest of his items, including his trusty hat, he place inside a pocket in the white surcoat that hung loosely on his armour.

He opened the close helmet's visor and looked ahead. He narrowed his eyes and focused his anger as he remembered the route that Edmund the knight had told him mere moments earlier.

"Hurry master Link. Her grace's descendent depends on you." Fi's voice chimed.

"I'm on my way, Fi!" Link chirped back at his now invisible companion as he began to lightly jog through the darkened corridors. "I'm no help to anyone if I get lost down here!"

"I have been watching Ghirahim, and he seems upset about not being able to break your Zelda. It appears that she has been able to hold out against his knavish tricks." Fi divulged, but her voice sounded indifferent to this information. "But I would not underestimate the mental attacks he is throwing at her grace's descendent. Even the sharpest mind can crack under such abuse."

"You seem to know a lot about these things, Fi." Link commented nervously as he turned a corner.

"I have Princess Zola's memories." Fi replied promptly. "The things she and many others experienced in their final moments are beyond my understanding."

"When I'm through with him, Ghirahim won't even have time for his final moments!" Link growled.

"Master Link, I must advise you to not lose your morality not matter how angry you feel. Ghirahim will only capitalize on it." Fi's always calm voice replied.

"That's easy for you to say. You don't even seem to understand what it is to be human! You don't understand pain or suffering or hate or love!" Link shouted in frustration as he turned another corner.

Fi was silent but then her voice quietly replied. "I understand happiness."

Link's heart sunk when Fi had finally spoken up. "Well, at least you understand that... because I know some people that can't even have such a thing in their life."

"Your Zelda?" Fi questioned.

"Yes, _my_ Zelda is one of those people. And she'll never be able to experience true happiness if I don't hurry!" Link panted from under the visor of the helmet.

"Patience master Link, you are very close." Fi reassured.

* * *

The water waked gently with the strong sense of unease that rolled through the mysterious mist. Zelda, the Queen of Hyrule was nothing more than a scared fool at this moment in time.

She had gotten away from her "shadow self", and the only sound that could be heard was the gentle sloshing of the shallow water. Other than that, and the sound of her heart beating in her ears, it was a deafening silence.

_Stay sane. Honourable majesty wouldn't have just left me in this kind of impossible circumstance, would she? No, she wouldn't. I'm sure she'll come and rescue me from... myself. _Zelda exhaled slowly as she realized what kind of situation she was in and what kind of thought pattern she was having. _ I always expect people to come to my rescue. Am I really that useless? I can't even save myself from my own shadow. Everyone saves me come hell or high water and I just sit and wait. My knights, Guinevere, Hector, honourable majesty... Link. But they're all gone now, because of me, and now I'm on my own. What do I do?_

Before Zelda could continue her thoughts a whisking sound cut through the air by her right ear. She jumped back and tried not to squeal in shock.

It was her shadow self, back for round two no doubt.

"Just when I thought I was home free." Zelda murmured hopelessly as she looked into her shadow's burning red eyes. _You're the Queen of Hyrule, Zelda... you can do whatever you bloody well want to, even beat your own shadow._

And so, it was here that young Zelda took her last stand. She knew that if she lost a battle within the confines of her own mind, she was a good as useless. But then it dawned on her, it was indeed her mind, and in her mind she could do whatever she bloody well wanted to, even beat her own shadow.

* * *

Link removed his helmet with wide eyes as he peered into the royal gardens from the stone doorway. He slipped off the white surcoat and brown belts and quietly took off the rest of his armour. He would need to be quiet if he wanted the element of surprise, and the heavy, clunky armour would not help his cause.

He placed his usual green cap onto the top of his head as his eyes darted left and right only to see lifeless bodies on the once healthy, green earth. Link saw the young faces of the deceased and knew immediately who and what they were. "Squires" he whispered in respect for the dead as he gently bowed his head.

It was not wrong to believe that Sir Edmund's squire was among the dead as everything in the royal gardens appeared to be just that. Whether it was the actual people within it, or the plant life, it was all dead.

And so, Link pressed on. With the much lighter brown boots giving him a more silent edge to approaching the demon lord, he tiptoed through the dead grass and other plants that would occasionally make a gentle snapping sound from the pressure of his weight.

"Why aren't there people running to the rescue here?" Link mumbled in disbelief. On his short trip he did not see a single person running towards the gardens... as if seeing all the once beautiful, exotic and priceless flora and fauna going to waste was not enough of a reason to be called into action. "This just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

He tried to stay low and out of the immediate sight of any prying eyes. He could hear soft chanting in the distance but he could not seem to make out exactly what was being said. It was a strange language that he had never heard before. But, he knew the voice. It was the same seductive male voice that belonged to the devil that had framed Link for murder, Ghirahim.

_I have to find that place that Zelda showed me when we were younger. _Link glanced around trying to keep his thoughts clear. If he did not focus on what was important, he would lose for sure. He knew he had to get an idea of where Ghirahim was hiding, but he did not want to exceed this knowledge too soon, as he needed the Master Sword before he confronted the demon.

Then something caught the corner of his eye. A patch of healthy green and other various spots of colour were near the far corner of the stone wall that lined the gardens.

"That has to be it..." Link mumbled as he froze in place in shock. He couldn't move as he was so overcome with emotion that he was not sure what or how to feel. It was just over in that corner, it had to be. But there must have been some trick.

No matter the tricks that may have been waiting for him, Link would be ready to conquer them with open eyes.

* * *

"He's here!" Ghirahim's eyes snapped open with an unsettling pleasure. "Oh, he's here, majesty. I knew it would only be a matter of time before he came to your rescue. But he looks like hell and he may be too weak to even lift that damn sword."

Zelda's unconscious body shook uneasily, as if she had gotten a chill. Ghirahim did not stop his ritual, but merely continued on with his eyes open and without chanting.

"I will spare him for now... as this will make things more interesting. I have not had this much fun in a very long time, and it's not like he will be able to beat me. That sword should be about as sharp as he is." Ghirahim chuckled as his pride began to get the better of him. The demon lord had become cocky as he saw the cards starting to turn in his favour. "I want you to see your beloved die by my hand, as that would be the perfect end to this tale."

* * *

"Now what?" Link groaned a bit as he looked at the green pocket in the dead gardens. He forced his hands through some flowers in confusion. "What do I do now?"

"Behind you, master." Fi's voice chimed.

Link turned around to see some strange overgrowth of vines that ran up the side of the mighty stone wall. It was an oddity because the gardens were usually well groomed, yet this set of vines had been allowed to grow and flourish.

Link raised his right eyebrow in suspicion as he approached the vines. "Strange."

He wrapped his fingers around the leafy stems and yanked on the green wall of leaves. He felt the sharp thorns dig into his rough-skinned hands, but he continued to pull on the vines.

"It's behind here, master." Fi's voice reassured.

Link cringed with another tug on the skyward climbing plant life. But with another couple of yanks, the vines came crashing to the ground only to reveal a strange arrangement of stones in the wall.

They were discoloured in some areas. Some stones were darker than others. But they formed a large pattern on the wall. They made up one large triangle made up of three triangles. It was a very crude Triforce diagram.

He knew what he had to do. Link pressed his left hand against the cold stones and applied a bit of pressure. He waited and watched as the back of his hand began to glow with a blinding yellow light.

Our young hero squinted and gridded his teeth as he pushed on one of the stone blocks in the wall. It fell inward into the wall. It acted as a switch of sorts, the wall became a door and it swung open freely with the sound of grinding stone.

There it was, as if frozen in time, the Master Sword sat patiently in the darkened four by four chamber. It was waiting for the day it needed to be called into action once more. That had come and a new hero stood before it, ready to make his claim for the weapon.

Link slowly and respectfully wrapped his hands around the hilt and puffed his cheeks as he readied himself to remove the blade from it's resting place.

"Argh!" Link grunted as he pulled. The cuts on his wrists from the rusty shackles stung as he felt the sword loosen from the pedestal. He pulled again and as if a work of the gods the sword completely came out of the stone.

With his mouth hanging open in disbelief, Link blinked once or twice at his feat.

Link pointed the sword towards the ceiling and squinted as an otherworldly light shone down in the darkened room and illuminated it.

The sword was not too heavy in his grip. It felt like it had been tailor made for him. He had not expected it to feel so natural in his hands, but something about that sword made him feel confident in his own abilities... and it almost made him feel as if the sword itself had made him strong.

He swung the sword, left, right and then down before twirling it around in his left hand and then sheathing it.

"Good work, master." Fi's voice sounded from behind him.

Link turned around, expecting to see his strange companion with silver hair, but instead he saw that his companion was rather blue.

"Fi?" Link gasped a bit.

"Master Link. I can confirm that removing the sword returned me to my normal form." Fi explained with a nod.

Her face and body were blue and violet. Even her eyes seemed to be glazed over with blue. She had a large blue jewel that mirrored the one on the Master Sword's hilt on her chest. With what appeared to be a cape of sorts flowing off of her body, she stood like a slender model that was unaware of their beauty. There was something about her that was very beautiful, but it was hard to pinpoint what it was.

Before Link could comment a shadow grew on the green grass outside the chamber.

_"Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of a boy that's dumb."_ Ghirahim's voice sang arrogantly.

Link wrapped his left hand around the hilt of his newly acquired blade and scowled. "Ghirahim."

The demon lord continued to sing and then snapped his snake-like tongue and appeared in the doorway. _"Be he rich or be he poor, he will never end this war."_

Unsheathing the Master Sword, Link's frown grew larger. "I'm going to cut your tongue out! Where's Zelda?"

"Oh, you mean your beloved majesty? Well, she's just over here. Follow me and she can awake just in time to see you fail." Ghirahim chuckled as he backed away and began to walk away.

Link's body did not tremble, nor did he feel any sort of fear that he had felt before.

"Be careful, master." Fi whispered. "Ghirahim is a demon that will turn and attack without a moment's notice."

"I'm not afraid of him." Link murmured as he walked out of the chamber with confidence. The wall closed up behind him as he walked into the gardens again.

He looked over to see Ghirahim waving at him. "Come. Let us fight to the death! Majesty is waking and I'm sure she will be thrilled to watch!"

"Zelda..." Link hissed as he marched onward.

"Careful, master." Fi warned. "Though the sword grants you tremendous skill and all of the talent of those that wielded it before you, you must use caution."

"There's no time for caution. This guy is going down." Link growled as he adjusted his hat and marched onward.

* * *

"AHHHHHH!" Zelda shouted and kicked as she struggled with her shadow self that was trying to hold her head under the inches of murky water. "Let go! I'm not drowning in a puddle of water!"

The shadow self did not speak nor show any sign of remorse or willingness to surrender. She merely continued to try to keep Zelda's head in the water.

Zelda took a short breath as her shadow self plunged her head underwater again. The young monarch flailed her arms around in distress and tried to come back up for air. _This is my mind. And I will not be usurped by my shadow!_

The young monarch forced herself out of the shadow's chokehold and to her feet.

She swept the soaking wet locks of hair out of her face and scowled. "GET OUT!"

The shadow froze, it's evil, red eyes shocked with fear.

Zelda grabbed a rapier sword out of the murky water, as if it had appeared from thin air, and charged at her shadow self. She closed her eyes as she rushed the sword towards the shadow's stomach and shouted "For Hyrule!"

With one single movement, the rapier cut through the air and it felt like it had hit nothing at all. It was uneventful to say the least. Zelda expect some sort of blood to hit her.

When she opened her eyes she saw that the sword had successfully plunged through the shadow's midsection, but the shadow merely looked down at her as if unfazed by this attack.

Zelda looked up into the shadow's burning eyes in shock. "Uh oh."

But alas, the shadow did nothing. It did not strike her down or even fall over. It only looked at her.

Zelda let go of the rapier's hilt and stood tall, facing the shadow head on. The shadow still did nothing. It looked at the rapier that had clearly cut through it's body and did nothing. But it eventually nodded with sadistic approval.

Zelda stepped back in disbelief as she watched the shadow fade to grey and eventually fade away all together.

She put her right hand over her heart and exhaled heavily as the sound of the rapier clanging on the ground chimed. She felt her heart pounding as the mysterious fog faded away and the inches of water evaporated quickly.

"Good show, dear." A familiar, feminine and regal voice echoed in the empty plain.

"Thank you, honourable majesty." Zelda sighed as she closed her eyes and hugged herself tightly and shuttered. "Thank you."

Her mind flowed from that small victory to what she truly needed to do, wake up. And she would do just that.

* * *

**REVIEW IT! I forced this one into a bridge chapter, sorry. Final battle is in the next chapter!**


	43. Downfall of a Demon

**Act 43: **_**Downfall of a Demon**_

"Master Link, I must make you aware of something about that sword." Fi explained as she followed Link to Zelda's side. "If you are blinded by rage, the sword will never completely accept you as it's true master. And because of this, you will not be able to fight as well as you should."

"Zelda!" Link ignoring Fi, called as he slammed to his knees beside the young, unconscious monarch.

She groaned a bit as Link began to shake her anxiously. He eventually propped Zelda up in his arms and stared at her in concern.

"C'mon, get up!" Link whimpered. He felt pressure building up behind his eyes. "Don't give up, okay? Your people need you... I need you."

Ghirahim chuckled softly to himself at Link's sentiments. "She's dying you know."

Link's heart sank in his chest like a rock in water when Ghirahim uttered those words. The monarch of Hyrule was dying in his arms? His friend, the girl had spent such a long time around, was dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do.

"Life's not fair, is it?" Ghirahim giggled and cracked his knuckles. "But to be fair, you had long enough to make a move, and you never did. But don't feel bad, champ, it will not be long before you see your beloved in the next life."

Link felt one, single, hot tear roll down the right side of his face and into the large cut on his cheek. It burned, but he didn't care. He tried to rub off the bizarre diagram on Zelda's forehead with his thumb. It only smeared it a bit.

The young hero then removed his bow and quiver from his person and placed them respectfully on the other side of Zelda. "Just in case I need help. Even chosen heroes need assistance sometimes, right?"

"That's enough of that." Ghirahim sighed and clapped his hands once.

Link then felt an unseen force pull him to his feet and away from the girl that he had provided with years of service.

"I'll let you have the first shot." Ghirahim grinned, raising his arms and then snapping the fingers on his right hand and made a maroon coloured sword appear out of thin air.

"You're a regular gentleman." Link scoffed as he raised the Master Sword slightly.

"Well, it's only good manners to let the one with the handicap go first." Ghirahim chuckled and extended his right arm so that his sword was pointing upward on a diagonal. "Let us fight like regular gentlemen."

Link raised his eyebrows in surprise. Ghirahim wanted him to tap the side of the Master Sword against his sword. He knew this was a respectful action one did before engaging in combat.

"Come on, you wouldn't want to offended her majesty." Ghirahim snapped his eyes over to Zelda, who was lying on the ground, trying to wake up.

Link winced a bit with a scowl as he glanced at Zelda. He then raised the Master Sword and tapped the side of Ghirahim's maroon blade. With a cling sound Ghirahim jumped back and licked the edge of his sword with his snake-like tongue.

With one last quick glance at Zelda, Link bit his lip and ready himself for battle. He charged forward with his sword held aloft. "Die, demon!"

"Hahaha!" Ghirahim laughed as he easily blocked Link's attack. "Oh, you're silly."

He made a fist out of his left hand and swiftly swung a punch at Link's midsection and hit him hard.

"ARGH!" Link coughed as Ghirahim drilled his fist into Link's gut. He fell backward onto his rear and tried to catch his breath.

"You are not good enough to face me, little hero boy." Ghirahim chuckled with a devious grin. "You have had very few victories to even make you worthy of facing me in combat."

Link tightened his grip on the Master Sword's hilt as he looked up at Ghirahim with a mean scowl. "As long as I have this, I can beat you."

Ghirahim widened his eyes as he looked at Link's blade. "Oh, you think so? Your own courage will only get you so far with that sword. You are not even worthy to wield such an artifact. You have no idea how to use it. Perhaps you should have gotten some practice in with it?"

Link stood slowly and raised the Master Sword again. "No time like the present. Round two."

The demon lord chuckled again as he tauntingly twirled his sword in his right hand. "Did that last one even count as 'round one'?"

_You can do this Link. Just use all your anger, all your hate, and throw it back at this guy. _Link's face was stained with a permanent scowl as he readied himself for combat once more.

"Now it's my turn." Ghirahim smiled as he snapped the fingers on his left hand and disappeared into a wall of diamonds.

"What?" Link raised his eyebrows. He then felt cold steel tap the side of his neck and give him a chill.

"Right here, hero boy." Ghirahim's voice laughed.

Link spun to his left and swung the sword around, trying to hit the demon lord, but to no avail. He had disappeared before Link could think twice.

"Why you..." Link murmured as he looked around for the psychotic devil.

"Ahem..."

"Wha?" Link looked ahead to see Ghirahim standing on one foot on the tip of the Master Sword with his arms crossed and a permanent grin glued to his face.

The demon lord then swung the foot he was not balancing on, towards Link's face. Link shot his head back in time to miss a possible kick in the teeth. But then he felt a cold, metal poking at his throat.

"Checkmate." Ghirahim whispered as he forced more pressure onto Link's throat, but he did not draw blood.

"No." Link whispered back, with his head still tilted back, giving Ghirahim enough space to cleanly slit his throat. "I thought you wanted to kill me in front of Zelda's eyes..."

Ghirahim's eyes narrowed and Link felt the cold, unkind steel come off of his throat. "True."

The young hero heaved a short lived sigh of relief as Ghirahim lowered his sword to his side and looked over his shoulder at Zelda, who was still lying on the ground.

"But she is dying, very slowly." Ghirahim muttered in annoyance. "She may not know it, but I have already sent enough of her essence to my vessel, that if she wakes up, she will be incredibly weak and feeble."

Link frowned as he looked passed Ghirahim and at the young monarch on the ground. He saw his chance at this moment. The demon lord was distracted.

He gripped the Master Sword tightly and felt the sweat on his palms drip down the hilt. He made his move, his body feeling like a ton of bricks as he took two steps and began to wind up for a might downward swing of his sword.

_WOOSH. Click. _The sword cut through the air but was quickly caught in Ghirahim's left hand.

Link bit his lip. _He was looking the other way the whole time!_

"You know, idiotic moves like this make me want to kill you right here and right now. I don't even want to wait for her majesty to awaken to see you fall, you're that pathetic!" Ghirahim barked as he tightened his grip on the sharp end of the Master Sword and knocked Link backward.

Link landed on the ground again, this time on his back.

"You were born a loser, you lived as a loser, and you will perish as a loser." Ghirahim stated as he stepped hard on Link's right ankle. He then pointed his maroon coloured sword at Link's throat once more. "And no one will even care that you died."

"Ah." Link gasped as Ghirahim applied heavy pressure to his ankle, as if he were trying to break it.

"You are nothing but useless trash. A pawn that I used many moons ago to get what I wanted. And now that I have used you as my gambit, I don't need you around!" Ghirahim hissed as he continued to put pressure on Link's ankle.

"ARGH!" Ghirahim cried out in pain. His body had completely tensed up.

"What the?" Link whispered in shock as the demon lord reached to his back and removed an arrow that was glittering gold, as if magic was dripping from every last molecule.

"Checkmate." Panted a weak female voice from behind the demon lord. "Game, set, match."

Link smiled in disbelief. Zelda had indeed come to his rescue. It was as if she had heard everything he had said to her, which of course meant that she had heard his little confession.

"Get up Link." Zelda ordered from her sitting position on the ground. "Help me up!"

Link sat on the ground, awestricken for another moment.

"Hey, my legs feel like cooked pasta, can you hurry up?" Zelda called again.

Link hopped to his feet. "Yeah!"

"Ahhh." Ghirahim groaned as he pulled another arrow out of his back. "You little snot, I'll kill you for this!"

"You have another four arrows to pull out before you can even worry about that." Zelda huffed in exhaustion.

Link stood in front of the young monarch and extended his hands for her to take hold of.

"Thanks." Zelda nodded as she took Link's hands in hers and pulled herself up.

Link felt a wave of relief flood over his body as Zelda gave him a reassuring smile. "You can let go of my hands now."

"Oh, right!" Link nodded, but his cheeks had no time to redden as his mind quickly shifted back from Zelda to Ghirahim.

Grabbing the hilt of his blade, reading to attack, Link stepped in front of Zelda. "Stay back."

Zelda surprisingly seemed to take offence to Link's action. "I just saved you, why should I stay back?"

"You're too precious to be at risk." Link answered with a hint of sympathy in his tone. "It would be best if you ran and got help."

Zelda stubbornly bit her lip and tightened her grip on the bow. "I'm not leaving you, Mr. Hero. You may think that you can do everything on your own, but you're wrong! You would be dead if it wasn't for me."

Link was seeing what kind of force of nature the monarch of Hyrule truly was. The way she talked to him as if she were firing off orders to her advisors

"Besides, you need to give me a definite answer for that question I asked you earlier, and you can't do that if you're dead." Zelda felt her face get red as she loaded another arrow into the bow.

Link of course knew what she was talking about. He had not given a for sure 'yes' or 'no' to her request for him to join her at the Hyrule State Ball.

"I don't think now is the time for that." Link widened his eyes at the fact that Zelda was bringing that subject up at that moment in time.

"You should at least humour the lady." Ghirahim chuckled as he snapped the stack of arrows he had removed from his back in half. "If you both die, she can die with the knowledge of your answer."

Without flinching, Zelda raised her loaded bow and scowled. The arrow she had loaded into it began to shimmer with a brilliant gold, much to Link's surprise.

"How are you doing that?" Link gasped a bit.

"Magic you buffoon!" Ghirahim barked and snapped his fingers, making his maroon sword reappear from thin air. "But two can play that game. Majesty, I have always wanted to face you in the art of magic combat."

"I'm honoured." Zelda scoffed as beads of sweat from exhaustion began to plague her brow.

"Don't do this. You're not strong enough." Link shook his head in concern.

"No, let the lady do as she pleases! She'll probably kill herself out of exertion. She may be wise, but she is not so smart, are you, my lady?" Ghirahim chuckled. "You're so tired that you can barely stand."

"Is that true?" Link mumbled as he eyes darted to his friend. He found himself stepping forward a bit, as if silently trying to tell Zelda that he would fight in her stead.

Zelda didn't want to say anything, because in reality her strength had not returned. Her mind was numb and her sight was hazy. She knew full well that if she fought Ghirahim she would most likely kill herself before he got the chance.

_I can't be weak anymore. _Zelda reassured herself as the faces of the people she had met in her travels sifted through her mind. _I love this land and everyone in it far too much to sit back and let someone else save it for me._

"Don't be stupid. If you don't feel good, then don't fight him." Link scolded.

Zelda felt a wave of annoyance flood her body as she slowly panted a reply. "I'm fine. I accept your challenge, Ghirahim!"

The demon lord licked his lips and smiled with sick pleasure. "Very well then."

He let go of his blade and let it float in midair as he clapped his hands together and flipped his snow white hair back.

Link looked up to see red sparkles shrouding the skies above and encasing the gardens, transforming the once beautiful place into something much more sinister.

In amazement, Link looked around at the high, marble walls that encircled them and trapped them in a pit in the centre of the structure. "It looks like a... a... a..."

"A coliseum." Zelda finished with a tired huff as she lowered her bow.

"Argh! Argh!" cheered the barbaric and primitive, purple crowds around them.

"Bokoblins?" Link raised an eyebrow. "Hmph, Ghirahim must have a problem filling seats if he has to have brainless monsters fill them."

"Now isn't the time for remarks." Zelda scolded, though she would later have to admit that Link's comment was rather clever.

Ghirahim dramatically raised his hands. "My dear minions, I bring you the event of the century!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" cried the sea of bokoblins in excitement.

"In this corner, we have two love birds! One is a wannabe hero that can't even count to ten without taking off his pants!" Ghirahim waited for the barbaric laughter of the bokoblins to subside before point a finger at Zelda. "And the other one, be the young and naive Queen of Hyrule, who has foolishly accepted my challenge to a magical bout."

Link's face reddened at Ghirahim's snide comment about his inability to do basic counting before looking at Zelda, who appeared to be growing weaker with each passing moment.

"And of course, you have me. I will most like emerge victorious from this battle. So place you bets with confidence." Ghirahim chuckled as he grabbed hold of the sword that had left floating by his side in midair. "Now, let us begin."

"Zelda." Link tried, trying to block her path with the Master Sword.

"Let me go." Zelda nodded as she wiped sweat from her brow. "I can finish him in five seconds."

"Don't get cocky." Link reminded the monarch. "Tag out when you don't feel up to it anymore. I'll step in and take your place."

"That won't be necessary." Zelda frowned as she readied her bow again and sidestepped Link's blade.

She did not comment further, and merely began what would be the longest walk of her young life. It was the walk towards the centre of the coliseum to face Ghirahim.

She heard her humble peasant sandals sliding and scratching the dirt on the ground as she dragged her feet in an unladylike fashion towards the demon lord.

Her vision would become blurry, but then focused again as a cracking headache began to set in.

"How are you feeling, majesty?" Ghirahim whispered as Zelda stood her ground six feet away from him.

"Better, now that I know I can end your rampage right now." Zelda hissed, desperately wanting to rub her temple to get relief of the new tension in her head.

"Hm, you must be exhausted by now, my lady. Not many people can survive that ritual and live to stand and fight mere moments later." Ghirahim nodded respectfully at the young queen. It was not fake respect either, but as if the demon lord was actually impressed. "Of course, you know, if you fight, especially with magic, your clock will probably tick down to zero. Magic takes a lot of your essence to work properly. And since I have taken so much of it already, you may only be able to do a basic card trick now."

"Well if the monarch thing doesn't work out for me, maybe I'll take your job as a magician, hm?" Zelda snapped back.

"Just warning you." Ghirahim giggled a bit before licking his sword. "Now, are you ready to play?"

Zelda nodded.

"Good. Ladies' first." Ghirahim nodded as he opened his arms, waiting for Zelda to take the first shot.

* * *

"Master Link!" Fi's voice called from the Master Sword. "You mustn't let your Zelda fight Ghirahim. I detect an eighty-five percent chance of failure if she does."

"Well I could have told you that." Link rolled his eyes.

"Then why let her fight?" Fi inquired.

"Because she's a proud queen and there is nothing I can do to stop her from doing what she wants. I don't know what happened to her while she was out cold, but she really thinks she can beat this guy. So she clearly knows something that I don't know." Link nodded as she watched Zelda and Ghirahim talk. "And though I am worried about her, I somehow know that everything will be okay, because in the end, we'll do this together. Together we make up two thirds of the Triforce, and that should be more than enough to beat one bad guy."

Link glanced at the back of his left hand and nodded again, trying to reassure himself. "She's doing this to prove something to herself, and I will respect that, just as I respect her. And if she needs me, I'll be here on the sidelines, ready to help."

* * *

Zelda readied her arrow. It dripped golden sparkles as Zelda took aim. She knew this was too easy and she knew Ghirahim had a trick up his sleeve for the moment when she released the arrow... so just like the games of chess she would play with the demon lord in her younger years; she would have to be at least one step ahead.

_If I can fake him out, he won't know what hit him. _Zelda continued to struggle with focusing her gaze. _So I'll quickly shoot at him, and he'll probably disappear and reappear behind me. So when he does that, I'll spin around and hit him with a magic discharge. After that I'll hit somewhere vital with an arrow. That should end it quickly._

But as you probably already know, my dear reader, not everything in life goes according to plan. Even the quickest strategies can go to pieces in an instant. When it came to coming up with working plans, no one matched young Zelda's skill. But, when it came to thwarting young Zelda's plans, no one was Ghirahim's equal.

"What are you waiting for? Are you really that tired?" Ghirahim giggled a bit and hopelessly shook his head. "I'll happily kill your boyfriend right now if that will spark something inside of you."

"Go to hell, Ghirahim." Zelda mumbled.

"You already told me that, and I'm still here." Ghirahim smiled.

"Well, how about I escort you?" Zelda hissed as her vision became clear and her shot direction was set.

"It would be an honour." Ghirahim nodded.

And with that, Zelda released her arrow, with it she felt the future hopes of Hyrule soaring away with it. _Please work._

And as expected, Ghirahim smiled and disappeared into a barrage of diamonds. The arrow continued on it's steady and true course and eventually hit the stone wall that encircled the field.

Zelda quickly lowered her bow and spun to her left, raising her right hand and shouting, "Ghirahim, you are hereby relieved of duty!"

A bright, blue ball of blinding light shot out of her hand and ripped up the dirt ground as it blew through the air at high velocity.

"That's getting really close..." Link raised his eyebrows as the ball of light continued to approach him and Fi.

"Master Link, get out of the way." Fi ordered as she floated away from Link's side.

Zelda noticed where her blast was heading and then screamed. "Link! Run!"

"Whoa!" Link gasped as he ripped the shield off of his back and defended himself from the magic blast. He stood his ground, though he could feel the force pushing him backward.

Eventually the magical blast dissolved into the air and vanished from the face of Link's shield.

"What was that about!?" Link shouted and lowered his shield, trying to make eye contact with Zelda.

"She's trying to get rid of the dead weight." Ghirahim's voice laughed from behind Link. "After your pathetic little attempt to fight me, I wouldn't want you on my team either."

Link's eyes dropped for a moment. _I was useless, wasn't I? _

The young hero then felt something whiz by and cut the wind by his ear. He spun around to see Ghirahim holding one of Zelda's magic arrows in his clutch.

"You see that? The princess trying to protect the hero! That's not how it's supposed to go, now is it?" Ghirahim taunted as he threw the arrow at Link's foot. The arrow rammed into the dirt next to Link's right foot and stuck out in objection. "You're a failure. You were not ready to face my kind. As such, your stupidity will cost you greatly."

"She's not a princess..." Link corrected.

Ghirahim continued to lecture Link about his flaws, but the young hero did not listen. He tried to remember everything he had ever learned about fighting. Fi's words then echoed in his brain like a haunting ghost. _"If you are blinded by rage, the sword will never completely accept you as it's true master. And because of this, you will not be able to fight as well as you should."_

"That's it..." Link whispered before raising his left hand to grab the hilt of the Master Sword. "If I keep my cool, I can win."

"What's that?" Ghirahim asked. "Speak up."

"I think I know exactly how to beat you." Link scoffed as he began to draw the sword from it's sheath once more. The cold sound of the mysteriously tempered steel leaving it's comforting home of the sheath sent adrenaline running into Link's heart.

"Oh? How now?" Ghirahim licked his lips. "I'm intrigued with what your little brain came up with without the help of the wise one over there."

Link looked to see Zelda collapsing to her knees and panting heavily on the other side of the arena.

With growing concern on his face, Link furrowed his brow and nodded dutifully. "Fight me, Ghirahim, if you dare."

"If I dare?" Ghirahim laughed wholeheartedly. "Perhaps it should be the other way around. And last time I checked, her majesty and I had barely started our fight."

"She's in no condition to fight." Link watched as the young queen tried to support herself by stabbing the bow into and ground and using it as a makeshift cane. "Whatever you did to her was bad enough to stop her from being able to stand on her own."

"Majesty has never been able to stand on her own. She's always relied on the help of others." Ghirahim lied through his teeth.

"That's not true." Link laughed a bit as he turned to face the demon himself. "Now stop spitting venom like the snake you are, and fight me."

"Very well. Round three." Ghirahim then licked his sword and pointed it at Link. "I hope you don't mind me going first?"

"Whatever." Link raised his sword and shield and nodded at Fi. "Go check on Zelda."

Fi did not object to Link's wishes. Though she was not something that needed to take orders, she would take them anyway and do as her master said. She floated off in the direction of the young monarch that was struggling to stand on her own.

"For real this time." Link scowled as he stared at his reflection in the Master Sword for reassurance.

"Whatever you say, my boy." Ghirahim sighed as he arched his back, as if trying to make himself more aerodynamic. "Prepare yourself."

Link stood his ground, raising his sword and slightly lowering his shield. _I finally get it._

And before Link could blink once more, Ghirahim was racing towards him in a blur.

Link saw the maroon coloured weapon going for a swipe at his head. He quickly deflected Ghirahim's sword using the Master Sword and then banged Ghirahim in the head with his shield.

"Ow!" Ghirahim hissed as he stumbled back and readied himself for his next attack. "So you want to fight dirty? I'll show you _dirty_."

The demon lord snapped his fingers and disappeared.

"Coward." Link barked as he scanned around for his opponent.

"NUAAAAAH!" a voice cried from above Link's head.

Looking up at the last minute, Link saw the bottom of a boot heading straight for him. He then felt the impact to the demon lord's weight kicking him in the forehead and onto the dirt ground.

"ARGH ARGH!" cried the bokoblin audience in glee.

Ghirahim landed gracefully but he did not wait for the young hero to rise to his feet. He instead marched right over to the recovering young man and kicked him hard in the side. He then rolled him over with his foot and looked down at him. "Still not good enough."

Link tightened his sweaty grip on the Master Sword's hilt and shook a bit trying to sum up some strength. When he did, he took a quick swipe at Ghirahim's legs, and he was able to land a blow.

But the demon lord did not stumble or fall. He merely leaned to his side in pain and growled. "You little wretch."

Link quickly sprung to his feet and tried to put some distance between himself and his enemy so he could collect his thoughts. _He's not invincible. I've proven that just now. If I keep landing hits, he'll fall. I'll take whatever I can get when it comes to landing a blow._

Ghirahim removed his purple poncho and threw it to the ground in annoyance. "Let us get serious."

Before Link could respond he had jumped out of the way as Ghirahim once again had come racing towards him on the offensive.

Link saw he chance as Ghirahim's back was turned. He raised the sword high, watched the light reflect off of it and swung downward, praying it would hit. It did. He had struck Ghirahim across the back, sending him stumbling ahead.

The demon lord spun around and swung his sword, trying to slice Link's face. Link blocked with his own sword and the two then jumped away from each other.

Link exhaled as he glanced over to see Fi speaking to Zelda. Zelda seemed to have growing concern on her face as she watched him.

"Don't take your eye off the ball, my boy." A voice creepily whispered in Link's ear.

"Ah!" Link jumped a bit and stumbled forward. He turned to see that Ghirahim had managed to sneak up behind him while he was looking the other way.

"You two can have babies only if you defeat me." Ghirahim laughed as he made red diamond projectiles appear with a snap off his fingers.

Link blushed a bit. "What?"

The demon lord waved his hand dismissively and the diamonds flew at Link.

He raised his shield and felt the force of the projectiles pounding into the braced steel. He then felt one whiz over his head and knock off his green cap.

Link lowered his shield and laughed before grabbing his hat off of the ground and slapping it back on his head. "Nice try."

"Don't get cocky, boy." Ghirahim scolded as he raced towards Link once more.

Link caught Ghirahim's attack with his own sword and this time instead of knocking the other one away or jumping back, neither let up. They instead held their swords against each other and clashed with sheer force.

With two hands on the hilt, Link pressed all of his strength into the sword and towards Ghirahim. Of course, Ghirahim was doing the same.

Sparks started to fly at the point of intersection. White, blue, crimson and black sparks fired into the air.

"I won't quit!" Link roared as he tried to force Ghirahim back.

"Neither, will I!" Ghirahim shouted back over the crackling sound of the flying sparks.

"Argh! Agrh!" cried out the bokoblin audience in suspense.

"I'm going to make you pay for the lives you've taken!" Link yelled. The back of his left hand started glowing brighter and brighter, as if it were reacting with the sword and the situation.

"You are nothing but second rate trash! No, you are lower than second rate!" Ghirahim continued to taunt as his eyes began to turn a golden yellow.

Such comments only made Link push back harder and the Triforce symbol on his hand glow even brighter, to almost a blinding level of light.

"Don't give up, Link!" Zelda shouted at the top of her lungs.

Link grinned a bit and at that moment it seemed like Ghirahim was losing control of the clash.

Then, the unthinkable happened. The demon lord's sword started to make a cracking sound, as if it was breaking from the pressure.

Ghirahim gasped a bit and glanced at his sword in concern. The demon lord also did the unthinkable, he jumped back. Retreating from the clash and making distance between himself and Link.

Link stumbled forward, no longer having anything to press against.

* * *

Away from the action, Zelda then made a very interesting observation. "He had him on the ropes. Ghirahim became concerned and backed off."

The young queen more-so was speaking to herself and not Fi, as Fi was not paying attention to her, and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Fi, are you okay?" Zelda inquired as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"I detect your essence being funneled into another location within the castle. There is a great power level rising on one of the castle's towers." Fi explained.

"What kind of power level?" Zelda gasped a bit.

"I believe that there is a fifty percent chance that Ghirahim may have already resurrected his master, and he is only stalling." Fi nodded with no emotion at all.

"No!" Zelda widened her eyes in disbelief. "That's not possible! You said it was only a fifty percent chance, so the other fifty means he did not complete the resurrection process!"

Fi nodded wisely. "I encourage you to help my master finish this quickly, in case I am correct. If I am correct, you will need all the time you can manage."

Zelda stared on hopelessly. _Here you are again Zelda, useless. Link needs you and you can barely stand. Do something! Do anything!_

Zelda trembled as she reached into the quiver and removed another arrow to load into the bow. She took aim at Ghirahim's head and the arrow powered up with the magical gold colour that the others had had. Infusing magic into the arrows took a lot of concentration and energy, energy that Zelda did not have.

The back of her right hand began to glow brightly, "Please." She whispered before letting go and letting the arrow soar through the air. She then squeezed her eyes shut, fearing for the worst.

* * *

"AHHHHH! GHIRAHIM!" Link shouted as he rushed towards the baffled demon lord, the back of his left hand glowing once more. He raised the Master Sword above his head and swung downward again.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ghirahim wailed in pain as the Master Sword the Zelda's arrow connected with his head at the same time. It sounded as if he were... dying.

Link closed his eyes, trying to shield them from the bright, white light caused by the attack. Link felt a heavy breeze blow him backward.

The bokoblin audience's cries echoed through the hero and the monarch's ears but they eventually faded into nothing.

* * *

Link fell to his knees and then opened his eyes to see he was back in the royal gardens. "What?"

"Link!" Zelda's voice squealed from behind him.

"What?" Link raised his eyebrows as he was knocked to the ground by the weight of the Queen of Hyrule's embrace.

"Are you okay?" Zelda asked with all of the concern of a doting mother.

"You're crushing me." Link wheezed as Zelda released she was now sitting on his torso.

Zelda's eyes widened as she stood up. "Sorry!"

Link sat up and looked around. "Wha? Where's Ghirahim!?"

"You did it, Link! You did it! You killed him!" Zelda praised. "He's gone!"

"I did it? What are you talking about? You're the one that shot that arrow and got him in the side of the head the last second." Link shook his head. "_We_ did it. I don't know how, but we did it!"

Link then stood up to face his long time friend with a smile. She smiled back.

"The combined power of the Triforce is what did it." Fi's voice answered. "When Zelda shot her arrow, the Triforce of Wisdom blessed it as well. Master Link, when you attacked Ghirahim, the Triforce of Courage flowed through your body into the Master Sword, therefore into your attack. Ghirahim would be no match for such power."

"Fi? Where are you?" Link looked around to see that the Master Sword was safely sheathed on his back along with his shield.

The next moment the sword spirit projected herself out of the hilt of the sword and spun around in front of Link and Zelda.

She looked at the Queen of Hyrule first. "I detect that the threat is now gone because of Ghirahim's demise. The power level has quickly started to drop. You are also back to full strength thanks to Ghirahim's defeat."

"Oh thank goodness!" Zelda sighed with relief.

"What threat!?" Link raised his eyebrows.

"Never mind. It's over." Zelda pressed her left index finger against Link's lips with a relieved smile before biting her lip and wrapping her arms around the young hero. "It's over."

Link, caught off guard chuckled a bit in surprise, but he returned the hug as well and whispered. "Yeah, it's finally over."

Yes, it was over for Ghirahim anyway. For when they were celebrating, the tower that Ghirahim had tied his vessel to started shaking. And though the demon lord was gone and no longer had to pump power into the vessel, the stray, evil energy that had dropped too quickly was not all gone.

And when Gordo, Zelda's suitor, awoke tied to that steeple, he would awaken as a real beast of a man.

* * *

**REVIEW IT!**


	44. Tale's End

_(A/N: "What's the hold up?" – Seriously, I'm in a very surreal moment in time right now, but I won't bore you with details. This needed to be perfect, so I sat and rewrote everything almost three times. I am pretty much finished this story, and all that is left is the epilogue after this, which is also progressing nicely. Much love as always! Hugs all around! –Infamous 7/25/13)_

* * *

**Act 44: **_**Tale's End**_

Now what was there left to do for the hero and the queen? They had defeated the one they had long since desired to be rid of, and it seemed as if this was the end.

But of course, they didn't want it to be the end as their futures were very uncertain. Zelda risked losing the throne and Link was still a wanted criminal. Together they were a couple of misfits, but they were bent on making things right.

"Link..." Zelda cleared her throat. "Now that this is over, I was wondering, what you will do now?"

Link gave Zelda more curious stare. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it, really."

"Is there anything I can do for you? I mean, you saved my kingdom. I could easily have your criminal status revoked and-"

"I appreciate it, but, that would be abuse of your own powers. Favouring your friends..." Link shook his head. "People would _talk_."

Talk. The way the young hero said the simple word seemed as if he were implying something more than friendly, casual banter between shopkeepers and their patrons. People in Hyrule had infamously loose tongues and perhaps their pointed ears were not for hearing messages from the gods, but instead to overhear gossip three blocks away.

"Oh, to hell with what people say!" Zelda shook her head in frustration as she raised her nimble fingers to the slash on Link's face and focused her eyes on it. "I can do what I want, I'm queen... but I'm not sure how much longer."

Link stared at Zelda again. "What do you mean?"

"I could lose my job." Zelda divulged as a blue light resonated from her hand and Link's cheek. Link felt a tingling sensation as the skin miraculously began to repair itself.

Link nervously swallowed hard and felt the butterflies in his stomach beginning to flutter like crazy as Zelda lowered her hand and then took his hand in hers. She seemed to nonchalantly walk hand-in-hand with him. "What!? How can you lose your job?"

"It's a long story." Zelda sighed.

"Well... now that there is nothing left to do... I have plenty of time to listen." Link chuckled. "Or talk about anything else for that matter."

"So what's this I hear, you _need me_?" Zelda changed the subject and raised an eyebrow with a grin, referring to Link's moments with her before he fought Ghirahim.

"Uh, yeah, about that!" Link scratched the back of his head as his face reddened.

_BOOM. _The ground began to shake and rattle assmoke and debris rose up into the sky from the towers to the west. The sky was dyed brown from the dust particles.

"What was that!?" Link shouted.

_BOOM. _The ground shook again, causing Link to lose his balance and almost fall over, only to be caught by Zelda.

"Master Link, Zelda, I detect a rising level of energy in the western section of this structure." Fi informed.

"What!?" Link gasped a bit.

"You just said that-"

"I realize this. It appears I made a miscalculation." Fi shook her head, not seeming too concerned about the situation. "Too much evil energy escaped Ghirahim's vessel at one time, it became confused as to where to go, so instead of dispersing, it returned to the host all at once."

"So what does that mean exactly?" Link inquired, his hands gripping Zelda's upper arms tightly.

Zelda looked into the hero's eyes hopelessly. "It means, something very bad is going to happen."

A beastly shriek vibrated the airwaves. Shaking everything from the grass on the ground, to Link's pointed cap.

"WHOA!" Link widened his eyes and pointed towards the skyline.

"What?" Zelda squinted at Link before looking upward. "Oh boy."

Rising above the expansive and towering stone walls of Hyrule Castle, a black humanoid body began to emerge, blackening the high heavens above and sending shockwaves through the land below.

Link looked at Zelda for reassurance. "Looks like there really is one last thing we must do."

Zelda felt her face redden as Link ran his right hand down her arm and folded it gently into her left hand. He then tugged her along behind him, leading her back towards the entrance that he had come through.

"No, no, no! Not that way!" Zelda shouted as she tugged on Link's arm. "It's faster to go the other way!"

Zelda then pulled Link in the opposite direction, rushing through the decayed gardens and hearing the cracking sound of the dead plant life snapping beneath their feet.

"Majesty!" Shouted one of the councilmen from an open window.

"Solomon?" Zelda gasped a bit as the elderly man stared down at her and the former kitchen boy.

"What are you doing out here? What's going on? What was that sound? You must get inside and to the underground shelter!" Solomon cried back, waving his hands.

"You have one of those?" Link raised his eyebrows.

"Who is that!?" Solomon screamed pointing at Link. "Is that? It is! That's the prick that murdered your father! What are you doing holding hands with the likes of him?"

"He didn't kill my father, Mihari did!" Zelda barked back in her most authoritarian voice. "And now the one you knew as Mihari is dead, thanks to this so called _murderer_."

"I don't understand!" Solomon shook his head.

"I will explain later. But you have to understand, that this country needs this man." Zelda raised her left hand, and by doing so she raised Link's right hand since she held it tightly in her grasp.

"By the gods, majesty! What is this man to you?" Solomon gasped. "He's a loser. A bum. Second rate castle trash. A criminal."

"He's my champion. And if you knew better, sir, you'd learn to respect him as well." Zelda's stern voice barked as she pulled Link along behind her through the exit.

"Ah! Majesty where are you going!?" Solomon cried after the young queen. He busily scurried away from the window and towards the nearest staircase in order to catch the queen.

"Come on." Zelda murmured as she pulled Link through the winding labyrinth of hallways. "I don't want to run into him."

"Zelda, perhaps it would be best if you did go with your councilman. I mean..."

"Link." Zelda stopped running and looked the hero in the eye with a knowing glance. Just her saying his name, Link knew not to doubt the young queen again, especially after the recent battle where she had indeed been useful.

"Right." Link nodded back.

The ground rumbled again like a hungry beast. Dust and particles of debris blew out of every nook and cranny of the castle's stone walls, passages and doorways. Another loud howl reverberated throughout the land.

"What is this thing!?" Link groaned as Zelda continued to lead him through a variety of halls.

"This is the result of too much energy being concentrated into a single host too quickly. Though it is not Ghirahim's master, it holds a fraction of his power." Fi's voice informed. The Master Sword blinked with a glowing blue light as her voice continued to speak. "Master, if you do not hurry, this darkness will consume the land."

"I'm already on it, Fi!" Link retorted as he continued to run behind Zelda.

* * *

Dark shadows crawled across the castle grounds, swallowing it and encasing it in black.

Wails of pain from the knights that opposed the new threat screeched throughout the castle like nails on a chalkboard. The shadows consumed them, crawling up their bodies and then dragging them down into the shadows on the ground, as if they were being swallowed up by a pit of despair that opened beneath their feet.

"Oh, this is terrible, where is her majesty!?" shouted advisors as they watched the carnage through telescopes in the safety of a far away tower. "We need her leadership!"

"We need to know she is safe!" another advisor barked as he took his eye away from his telescope.

"By and by she'll come, I hope." The advisor wheezed as he fixed his thick glasses.

For a moment they were all silent as they continued to watch in disgust what was happening. One of the advisors had opened up an old scroll and began to ink down what he was seeing for any sort of future reference.

The massive black, humanoid body made of darkness collapsed on the ground from it's own weight, sending even more shadows flying and crawling across the castle grounds.

Eventually, after a few minutes more, blonde locks could be seen bouncing through one of the open windows.

"By the gods, is that her?" the advisor with the thick glasses pointed out the window.

"Well knock me down and call me Din, it is her! Majesty!" cheered the ginger advisor. "Majesty, up here!"

"You imbecile, do not celebrate! She is in grave danger down there!" the advisor with glasses retorted as he hit the ginger advisor over the head with his fist. "Alert the guards!"

"Rightio!" the ginger advisor nodded, throwing his telescope to the ground and jogging out the door.

* * *

"This is terrible!" Zelda gasped as she watched more knights being swallowed into the ground of shadows. She covered her mouth with her hands and felt the upsetting pressure building behind her eyes that could possibly force tears. "No one else needs to die!"

Link glanced over at the young monarch, creasing his brow with sorrow. "You can't expect minimal bloodshed at times like this. These people are dying for you and this country."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed out a young squire as the dark shadows began to consume him.

"I have to stop this!" Zelda gasped as she looked away.

"By yourself? You think you should die to protect these ingrates, majesty?" shouted Solomon. The councilman had indeed caught up to the pair, much to Link's dismay.

"I have nothing else to put on the line, just myself." Zelda whimpered a bit as she covered her eyes with her hands, trying to hide tears.

Link glanced at Zelda's senior councilman, and Solomon glanced back with distain on his face.

"There's nothing wrong with loving your people," Link spoke softly, placing a reassuring hand on Zelda's shoulder, "especially if they love you back."

"You have some nerve!" Solomon barked smacking Link's hand off of Zelda. "Scum touching royalty!"

Zelda lowered her hands and dried her tears as she glanced at Solomon. "You have some nerve, as it seems like mere moments ago you were keen on kicking me out of here. You will leave Link alone, as he is a friend of the crown."

"Friend of the crown?" Solomon gasped.

"Yes, friend of the crown!" Zelda gridded her teeth and pointed a sharp finger at Solomon's chest.

Before another comment could be fired off, Link pointed at the window sill to where shadows could be seen crawling up and over and into the hallway in which they stood. "Uhhhhh..."

"Oh my sweet heavens!" Solomon shouted as he grabbed Zelda's arm and tugged. "We must get you to safety!"

"Let go of me!" Zelda scolded, shoving her councilman's arm away. She then whipped the bow off of her shoulder and loaded an arrow into it. She narrowed her perfectly, blue eyes, making herself seem like a cat about to pounce on prey.

The arrow lit up and began to drip sparkles of gold, much like the ones Link had seen before during his fight with Ghirahim.

The young monarch let go, firing the arrow at the shadows on the ground. The light shattered the darkness, sending it flying into the air like splashing water. It was as if Zelda had cut off a limb of a beast by the way the shadows reacted to the shot as they retreated backward in fear.

"Nice one!" Link nodded, sending Zelda a reassuring smile.

Zelda smiled back proudly, celebrating her brief victory with the young hero.

"Majesty!" Solomon gasped. "What was that!?"

"There is perhaps more to me than just a head of state, hm?" Zelda sighed before glancing down at the pond of shadows below. "Fi, do you have any more information on this?"

Fi appeared in a flash from the hilt of Link's sheathed sword and floated in mid-air as she looked out the window with no real expression her face. "It appears that the host of the evil energy has been overtaken by the sheer amount of power being pumped into his body. The body you saw earlier became too great in mass to support itself and collapsed. My sensors indicate a male body, which seems to be the source of this phenomenon, lying beneath the shadows below. I do not sense any type of consciousness, but I do sense a faint heartbeat."

"How can we stop this?" Link frowned as he watched the shadows scaling the walls on the other side of the courtyard.

Fi glanced at her master and answered in a very calm, matter-of-factly tone. "I would recommend destroying this at the source, the host."

"So, we have to kill off the host. Is that what you're saying?" Link nodded and looked at Zelda, knowing exactly how she would feel about this idea.

"Ah? But, we don't even know who the host is! They could just be some innocent bystander that Ghirahim picked off the street! They have done nothing wrong and they don't deserve to die!" Zelda argued. "Is there really no other way, Fi?"

"I will make you aware of any other possible solutions if any more emerge." Fi bowed a bit before returning to the Master Sword's hilt.

"I guess that's our answer." Link stared hopelessly down at the pool of shadows below.

Solomon felt his glasses gently fall from the bridge of his nose and hit the floor in surprise at what he was seeing. A queen that could cast away evil with magic, sword spirits, shadows that could swallow people whole, and a queen that spoke to a convicted criminal as if they were bosom pals. The senior councilman almost took a heart attack thinking about it.

"Let's get down there and end this once and for all." Link took Zelda's hand and squeezed it.

Zelda hesitated and then nodded. "Yeah. We can do this."

The monarch then turned to her councilman with a sympathetic look in her young eyes. "My good man, we will have to do this some other time. As you can see, I have my hands full at the moment."

Solomon glanced at Zelda and Link's interlocked hands and then at the bow in the monarch's free hand. He was speechless.

He watched Link run off with the queen in tow in astonishment. He didn't give chase, he didn't do a thing. He was so shocked, he couldn't even think. But perhaps that statement is false, as one thought did crawl through his mind. _I must tell the others._

* * *

Like waves hitting the side of a country's rocky coastline, the shadows seemed to ram into the old, stone walls of the castle, trying to break it down. But the castle would stand firm just as it had stood against the test of time. It was built to last, and though it had been destroyed and repaired several times, when it was repaired, it was reinforced with greater materials.

The guards sent to find Zelda had finally arrived to see Solomon standing alone in the hallway, still flabbergasted by what he had seen.

"My lord!" shouted the squad captain. "Where is majesty? The advisors wished for us to collect her. Where did she go?"

Solomon looked at the captain in awe. "She left with her father's killer."

"What?" the captain quizzed. He opened the visor of his close helmet and with a loud squeak, he revealed his worried expression. "My lord, be serious. Where is she? This is urgent!"

Solomon stroked his beard and picked his glasses from the ground. He then cleaned the dust off of them with the sleeve of his shirt and frowned. "I told you. She went with that blasted criminal."

"Impossible. I signed the execution form myself. Tybalt was sent to collect him and bring him to the execution yard. So unless that bloody murderer pulled himself out of the dead man's pit, found his head and someone reattached it to his body, I don't believe you!"

Solomon hissed as he grabbed the captain's red surcoat. "Well then that boy must be a dead man walking, because it **was** him!"

The other knights glanced at each other sarcastically as they listened to the senior councilman ramble on about a man that was supposed to be dead.

The squad captain sighed as he closed the visor of his helmet and nodded to his men. "My lord, we will investigate further. Which way did they go?"

The annoyed groans of the knights were thankfully not heard by Solomon as he pointed down the hallway. "That way. They are going down to the courtyard to confront whatever this!"

The knights then glanced at each other again. Through the slits in their steel visors one could see that they were wide eyed at the statement.

"We will look into it, along with this strange phenomenon. I have men on the ground down there and they have already gone missing. So we must be cautious." The captain was more so speaking to his men than to the councilman. "Let's go! My lord, please stay safe."

Solomon watched the guards run down the hall. The clinking sound of their steel boots was nothing but deafening noise to the old man. He mumbled as he turned away. "Hmmm..."

Though the councilman did not see the now rising shadows creeping into the window once more. They gently brushed against his feet and wrapped around his ankles. And then they began to flow into the hallway and suck the councilman under.

* * *

Several golden arrows zipped through the air and plunged into the pool of shadows. Again they splashed into the pond of shadows and the darkness was sent crawling backward.

"Nice shot!" Link praised from behind Zelda.

Zelda didn't respond as she wiped several beads of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. She tried to slow down her heavy breathing a bit and regain her composure. She was getting tired again, and this did not go unnoticed by her hero friend.

"Don't overdo it. If you're tired, I'm sure we can think of something else." Link spoke softly as he unsheathed the Master Sword. "I mean, this sword can cast down evil, and these shadows are pure evil. So..."

"I'm fine!" Zelda huffed as she reloaded the bow and took aim again. "I'm doing this for my people. I will go to any length for peace, even if it means going onward until I collapse."

Link swung the Master Sword down and cracked it off the ground. The shadows moved backward in fear. Link then smiled. "It works!"

Zelda wiped another drop of sweat from her brow and let out a sort lived sigh of relief.

Link preformed several spin attacks in sequence before stumbling from dizziness. The shadows backed away and the duo began to move into the courtyard side by side.

The shadows seemed to jump onto each other in fear as they backed away, forming mounds of darkness. They scurried towards the centre of the courtyard and this is where they all came together to form an even bigger mound.

"The host must be under there, hm?" Link stated.

"Mhm." Zelda nodded.

"Do you want to do the honours?" Link pointed at the growing hill of darkness in front of them. Zelda knew he was asking her to fire a light arrow into the pile of shadows and scatter them so they can get at Ghirahim's vessel.

"Sure." The young monarch readied her bow and powered it up with the dripping gold magic once more.

She then let go, letting the arrow zip through the air like a mother bird going to protect it's young from a predator.

It struck hard and deep into the mound of shadows. They scattered and splashed away. Some faded while others dissolved in the light. And when they were all gone, a body of a young, red haired man was seen lying face down on the ground.

Link sheathed the Master Sword and approached cautiously as the shadows retreated from the host's person. He bent down and pressed his index and middle finger against the young man's neck, checking for a pulse. Link looked up at Zelda with a knowing, reassuring glance and a nod.

Zelda felt a smile cross her face. "Thank goodness."

Link then unsheathed his blade and held it downward with both hands, readying to thrust it into the host's back. It was better to leave him face down as Link knew he could not look upon the face of someone he had to kill.

He closed his eyes and bit his lip because he knew he would have to do something he never wanted to do... take the life of an innocent.

"Wait!" Zelda gasped as she looked down at the host. "I know him!"

"What?" Link looked up.

"I think... I think he was one of my suitors!" Zelda pointed at the messy, red mop that was the host's hair. "Gordo was his name, I believe. We spent some time together."

"What?" Link continued to stare at Zelda. He felt strange hearing Zelda's statements, jealous even.

"Don't hurt him!" Zelda ordered. "He's a good guy!"

Link widened his eyes and lowered the sword to his side in uncertainty. The fact that this was a man that had tried for Zelda's hand, made Link secretly want to put the Master Sword in his back. The fact that they had spent time together and gotten to know each other made Link jealous and he didn't truly know why. As far as he knew it was completely innocent, but of course that innocence had other motives.

"You're supposed to marry this guy, is that it?" Link frowned a bit, looking down at the unconscious young man in front of him.

"He was an option, yes." Zelda replied, slowly realizing what she was saying was hurting Link's feelings.

"An option? So how many more of these guys are there?" Link questioned. Obviously at a time like this, it really was of no importance, but Link was beginning to realize something... he wanted the Queen of Hyrule all to himself.

"How should I know? I saw so many men in last while that I lost count." Zelda sighed.

Link's eyes grew even wider. How many of them meant something to the young queen? He didn't know. How many had become her friend as well? He didn't know. Was he out of line for all that flirting? Was there actually someone else that she was promised to and she was just being coy with him? No. That wasn't possible because she had asked him to be her plus one to a ball. She wouldn't have asked had she had someone else, right? Maybe he was just too busy to go and she was trying to make it up to her former kitchen boy? The speculation never ended in Link's mind.

"Master Link, I suggest you hurry and cut off the source before something else happens." Fi's voice scolded from the Master Sword.

"I can't... Zelda doesn't want me to..." Link shook his head. Even though it wasn't right to leave Gordo alive, Link still did what Zelda wanted.

"Master, you are making a mistake." Fi scolded again.

Zelda chattered her teeth nervously. She knew it was a mistake, but Gordo too had been her friend. That day she spent with him had indeed cheered her up.

"Zelda..." Link glanced at the queen for a response.

"I know. But..." Zelda nodded.

Link narrowed his eyes as he looked at the red hair of the suitor. "Does he mean that much to you?"

"What?" Zelda shook her head, as if mishearing what Link said.

"Does he mean that much to you?" Link gridded his teeth and clenched his fist.

"I don't... what?" Zelda tried to explain but to no avail.

"You want to spare him so badly. Does he mean that much to you that you want to endanger this land and everyone in it?" Link quizzed and then swallowed hard. "Take a life, save a life."

"Everyone can be spared, Link, you know that." Zelda stated firmly as she slung her bow over her shoulder and approached the hero and the suitor.

"I believe that... but right now, if we don't end this, things could get really ugly." Link argued.

"Master Link is correct." Fi's voice chimed in.

Zelda got down on her knees and tried to lift Gordo's head. "Gordo, can you hear me?"

Link looked down at his boots in shame. Zelda cared about this young man, but Zelda also cared about everyone, it was one of her most attractive traits and it was only natural that she came to her suitor's aid.

"Gordo, it's me!" Zelda spoke softly as she gently slapped her suitor's cheek with the palm of her hand. "Wake up. Snap out of it."

"Master Link..." Fi's voice sounded from the Master Sword, trying to alert Link.

"What?" Link looked at the sword to see it flashing as Fi spoke.

"Evil energy levels are rising again." Fi informed.

Link's face went into shock as he sheathed the sword and went to grab Zelda's arm to pull her away.

"What's the matter?" Zelda asked as Link tried to pull her away.

"Fi says energy levels are peaking again." Link warned as Zelda tried to stand and stumble behind the young hero.

"What?" Zelda gasped a bit as she watched the shadows return and encase her suitor. "No!"

Link grabbed Zelda's arm and held her tightly in his grasp so she wouldn't get close to the threat.

The shadows mounded together again and they seemed to be building something this time. They began to take on a more humanoid form that stood ten feet tall and six feet wide.

The Master Sword was unsheathed again as Link stepped in front of Zelda and readied himself for another fight.

"Don't hurt him." Zelda whispered.

Link didn't look back at the young queen, but he heard her wishes loud and clear. He would do his best as that was all he really could do. But he did not want to go against Zelda's wishes if he didn't have to, because his inner kitchen boy was still devoted to her service and satisfaction.

Glowing red eyes burned into what was supposed to be the face of the shadow monster. A mouth began to emerge as well, with razor sharp teeth that could tear flesh into ribbons with one good bite.

Zelda's heart sank. She tried to ignore her racing thoughts, her darting eyes, her sweating palms, but she was too worried about what would happen to both her hero and her suitor in the end. If Link failed everyone was doomed.

The young queen wished for Link's hand to strike hard and true, but also to leave life in the host of the immense evil. She knew that it was nothing more than wishful thinking, but it was her job to be a fence sitter.

"Approach with great caution, master." Fi's voice warned.

"Right." Link raised his sword and shield as he slowly moved forward.

The shadow creature's burning eyes grew big and it's sharp teeth formed a devilish smile. It then murmured something. "Lamb to slaughter."

Both Link and Zelda's necks locked up when they heard the creature actually speak.

"Come, foolish knave. I kill you in ten seconds." The monster laughed a bit as it tried to slowly construct sentences.

Link readied the Master Sword in his left hand and curved his eyebrows downward, trying to focus his thoughts less-so on fear, and more-so on victory.

The monster looked at the Master Sword and hissed something awful. "You no beat me with butter knife."

"Butter knife?" Link frowned.

But before another word could be uttered the monster swung it's right arm at Link and sent him flying across the courtyard and into the wall. "You talk too much."

"Link!" Zelda screamed as she watched Link fall to the ground like a doll. She then set her sights on the monster that threw her hero and readied her bow once more, only to find that the shadow creature had it's sights set on her. "You'll pay for that!"

The monster's sickening smile grew larger. "I like you. You smell of young blood."

Zelda glanced at her tips fingers to see them dripping with blood from firing so many arrows. She felt the sting of the tiny cuts on her hand. _How didn't I notice that? You know you've overdone it when your fingers start bleeding..._

"Get away from me!" Zelda shouted as she ignored the sting and powered up another arrow with magic.

She fired her shot, but the monster merely opened it's mouth wide and swallowed the arrow as if nothing had happened.

"Wha-what?" Zelda gasped as she stepped back a bit in disbelief. "But... how?"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" a voice screamed.

Zelda looked over to see Link charging at the beast once more.

"Link, wait! Something isn't right!" Zelda warned as the young hero took a swing at the monster's side.

With a slash Link ripped the side out of the beast, sending the shadows flying every which way like papers blowing off of a desk. He continued this attack and seemed to be cutting the monster apart. The shadows blew around like cobwebs in the wind, still barely attached to the shadow body.

Zelda then noticed how those cobweb-like shadows were beginning to encircle Link. "Link, stop! Get away from there!"

"What do you mean?" Link looked over at the young queen before seeing the red hair of her suitor pop through the shadows. He grabbed hold of Gordo's hair and pulled, trying to yank him out of the shadow suit, but to no avail.

The young hero then felt shadows wrap around his ankles and hold tight. They lifted him from the ground and hung him upside down.

"Let go!" Link yelled as he tried to swing his sword at the long arm of darkness that had a hold of him.

But much to his horror, he watched as the dark arm wrapped around the sword like a tentacle and ripped it his from his hand.

"The Master Sword!" Zelda shouted as the beast dropped the sword into it's mouth. "No!"

Link's face turned a ghostly white in shock as the beast's burning eyes looked at him, as if taunting his incompetence.

With a toothy grin, the beast slammed Link into the ground and then whipped him with it's tentacle like arm.

"AH!" Link cried out in pain as the tentacle arm wrapped around his waist, squeezed him tightly and picked him up again. "ARGH!"

"I feed on the tiny hearts of weak men." The monster laughed with lust in it's eyes. "And you're one of them."

Link kicked his feet as another tentacle shadow wrapped around his neck.

_No. No. NO! _Zelda's pulse pounded she loaded one of her last arrows into her bow and readied her shot.

"Majesty!" shouted a voice from behind her.

"What?" Zelda turned to see her guards marching towards her.

One of her squad captains bowed before sizing up the creature in front of them. "Majesty, you must leave here!"

"I'm not leaving him!" Zelda pointed at Link.

"He's alive?" the captain gasped at the sight of Link. "That old codger Solomon wasn't kidding! How?"

The shadow monster looked at Zelda and her guards and laughed a bit. "Even weaker men!"

"What?" Link looked in his peripheral vision to see the knights shaking in their boots.

"NARH!" The monster yelled as it threw Link into the ground.

"Link!" Zelda cried as she ran to her former kitchen boy's side.

"Majesty!" the captain hollered after her.

The knights dropped their weapons as they watched a ring of shadow circle around them. It grew up and then, like a rope, trapped them like cattle and tied them all together.

The squad captain looked on in shock as the beast raised the guards into the air and hovered them over it's giant mouth.

In one gulp, the creature swallowed the whole dozen of the men.

"Link, can you hear me?" Zelda cried a bit as she wiped the freshly drawn blood from Link's forehead. "Wake up!"

"Mmmmm. Did anyone get a look at the driver of the wagon that just hit me?" Link moaned as Zelda elevated his head into her lap.

"Stay with me!" Zelda urged as she began to heal his wounds.

"Zelda?" Link groaned. "The Master Sword?"

"He ate it..." Zelda replied. "He ate it, and now I have no idea what to do..."

"Oh..." Link looked at his hands a bit. "It's my fault. I'm no hero. I can't even hang onto the sword."

"No, it's my fault. I should have let you kill Gordo when we had the chance, and now it's too late." Zelda shook her head and looked at the shadow monster that was now gobbling up the squad captain.

The creature then turned it's attention to her and snapped a tentacle shadow across her forehead, knocking her backward and onto the ground, causing a cut to form on her brow.

Link looked over at the queen in shock to make sure she was okay. When he saw her lying next to him, still conscious he could heave a sigh of relief.

"Zelda... in case we die..." Link glanced over at the young queen that was lying next to him on the ground in pain. "I don't know how to say this but... I would not trade a single moment out of the years that I spent in your service for anything."

"Since we're being honest with each other, I realize now what I didn't know then. I know why I grew so fond of you. We were together almost every day for seven years, and I... " Zelda spoke softly as she wiped the fresh blood from her brow with the back of her left hand. She felt a single tear roll out of the corner of her right eye and smear down the side of her face.

Link gasped a bit as the queen's response.

"You were one of the only real friends I had. You listened to me and you never betrayed my trust. I think I spent more time with you in seven years than I ever did with my own father, and for that I am grateful." Zelda cleared her throat as another tear roll down her face. "Thank you for being my friend."

"No problem. Thank you for being _my_ friend. It has been an honour." Link nodded and exhaled. "And I would be equally as honoured to escort you to that ball."

Zelda felt her lips curve into a smile as she let out a weak laugh. "I find it ironic that you're saying yes to going to the ball just before we get killed by my suitor."

"Hehehe... you sure know how to pick 'em." Link laughed with her as he reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I picked you, didn't I?" Zelda whispered and closed her eyes.

"What?" Link gridded his teeth as he tried to pull himself up in shock.

"If I'm going to die, I couldn't have picked a better person to be by my side." Zelda nodded and gave Link's hand a squeeze. "Do you think it hurts to die?"

"Zelda!" Link gasped, forcing himself against the heavy gravity to sit upright. "Don't talk about that! You'll be fine!"

"Without the Master Sword, we're doomed..." Zelda coughed.

"No." Link growled as he pulled himself onto his knees and wobbled. He put his left foot forward and tried to stand up. "We can't lose."

"But you said yourself, in case we die!" Zelda argued.

"I was more so talking about myself." Link cleared his throat and forced himself to stand. "You'll be fine, if this works."

"What are you talking about? You aren't going to attack that thing again, are you? It's suicide!" Zelda barked and began to pull herself up off the ground in objection.

"Suicide for queen and country, it beats execution any day." Link looked back nobly at the young queen that had become his friend. "Is it not written in Hyrule's constitution that all men and women born in this country have a duty to lay down their lives for their monarch and the country in which they live if need be?"

Zelda's ears perked a bit at Link's statement. _Where did he learn that?_

"You told me that when you were studying for one of your history exams last year." Link divulged. "So here I am, doing my Hylian duty for her majesty the queen and her country."

Zelda widened her eyes. "Link, this is no time to pledge your fealty!"

Link glanced over at the queen with troubled eyes.

"I love this country and everyone in it! I would do anything for them!" Zelda stated firmly. "You know that."

"Even give up your life?" Link huffed in exhaustion. "No. Hyrule needs a monarch to lead it, and that's you. These people adore you, and it would be foolish for you to sacrifice yourself for them, as that is not what they'd want."

"But it's what I want!" Zelda shouted with tears in her eyes.

"If you want to save this kingdom, let me help you! I'm your friend right? So trust me!" Link barked back as he stood and looked at the creature.

"I feed on the tiny hearts of weak men!" the creature repeated.

"Oh, you do?" Link got ready to run at him. "What about the hearts of men that care for a woman?"

And with that, Link charged. He ran straight at the monster, as if wanting to be eaten. The creature happily opened it's mouth for him to run into.

"Link!" Zelda screamed as the young hero entered the monster's mouth of razor sharp teeth.

Link then removed his shield and with his last remaining strength, pressed it into the roof of the monster's mouth, thus holding the monster's mouth wide open.

"RRRRRRRRRRR!" Link growled as the shadow beast tried to close it's mouth on him.

"Let me help you..." Zelda whispered as she pulled the bow off of her shoulder and loaded her last arrow into it. She blessed it once more with the golden light and set her sights on the inside of the monster's mouth where Link was standing.

She fired her last shot into the beast's mouth. Link's eyes darted over as the arrow hit the back of the monster's mouth and into what should have been it's throat. It burned a hole in the shadows and that's when Link saw his trusted Master Sword's hilt sticking out of the darkness.

The young hero reached back with his left hand, still holding his shield up with his right arm. He felt the pressure of the monster's jaws coming together and weighing down on him. He was only a few more inches away from the blade, he knew if he stretched a little more he could touch the hilt. He felt the tips of his fingers beginning to slide across the top of the hilt.

"Got it!" Link grinned as he wrapped his hand around the hilt and pulled it out of the darkness. He twirled it around a bit and felt new strength surge into his body.

"Come on..." Zelda bit her lip nervously, watching the burning eyes of the beast becoming perplexed.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Link shouted as he thrust the sword upward into the roof of the monster's mouth.

The creature cried out in pain as Link ripped the sword out and then stabbed it in again.

The shadows began to jump off of the beast's body and burn up in the sunlight.

"You're doing it, Link!" Zelda shouted out with glee.

The young hero could hear the joy in Zelda's voice, and it brought a smile to his face as he continued to rip the monster to shreds from the inside.

The shadows continued to dissolve and fade, and the humanoid beast grew smaller and smaller until it was nothing more than what looked like a small cave made of darkness.

Link hopped out of what was once the monster's mouth and then thrust the sword onto the top of what was left of the shadows.

They splashed off like water and dissolved in the sunlight as well.

Link twirled the Master Sword around in his hand a bit before tossing it into the air, only to have it fall back to the earth and slide into it's scabbard on his back with a most satisfying click.

"You did it!" Zelda shouted as she ran to Link's side and wrapped her arms around him in celebration.

Link's face went red as he looked down at what remained of the creature, Zelda's suitor.

Zelda looked down as well. She let go of Link and ran to the side of her suitor. "Oh, Gordo!"

The suitor groaned a bit as the young queen helped him to his feet. "Ah, what hit me?"

Link frowned and crossed his arms as Fi appeared from the hilt of the Master Sword and floated beside him.

"Don't worry, it's over now." Zelda reassured calmly as she tried to support her suitor's weight.

Gordo looked over with surprise. "Majesty? You're okay!"

"Well, yes." Zelda smiled. "Are you?"

"Yeah. Where's Mihari? He said you were in trouble or something. So I came here as fast as I could to see if I could help, and you're fine." Gordo explained.

"Yes, I'm fine. Mihari... Mihari has been revealed of duty." Zelda smiled. "I finally got around to editing my staff list."

"Oh, okay." Gordo nodded as he looked over at Link and Fi. "Did you save her majesty?"

Link raised his eyebrows and pointed at himself, to make sure Gordo was speaking to him.

"Yeah, you in the green and your blue friend there." Gordo smirked as he took his weight off of Zelda and stood on his own.

"Yes, they did. I don't know where I would be without them." Zelda nodded. "I owe them a lot."

Gordo raised his eyebrows before fixing his red hair. "Well thank you. I appreciate it also."

"Hmph." Link pouted a bit and looked away.

"What's wrong, master?" Fi asked.

Link didn't respond as he watched Zelda and her suitor speak with each other.

"Majesty!" shouted several voices from behind Link. "Oh we saw it all! You were amazing!"

Zelda and Gordo looked over to see a few of Zelda's advisors running towards her. They bumped Link out of the way and continued on their track towards the queen.

"Oh?" Zelda blushed embarrassed.

"The council has been made aware of your efforts to protect this land and have decided to forget all about kicking you off the throne! They were touched by your patriotism, valor and sense of duty." one of the advisors screamed with joy. "Isn't that great!?"

"Lord Solomon also went missing... sooo..." add another advisor.

Zelda couldn't help but smile at her busy body advisors gushing about her and Link's victory. "Can you please get Mr. Gordo to the infirmary to be check for any injuries? Please give him the best care we have to offer."

"Of course!" the advisors bowed before taking Gordo by the arms and pulling him along.

But before they left... they stopped and eyed up Link.

"He's a friend of the crown!" Zelda stated firmly, trying to sound as much like a queen as possible. "He is under my protection. I will address everything at a later date."

The advisors stared at each other like scared little mice for a moment before nodding and rushing Gordo off. They did not want to question the queen after the recent display.

And then the three stood alone. Staring at each other awkwardly, not sure of what to say or do next.

"Master Link, the threat has been eliminated. Please return me to my resting place." Demanded Fi.

"Will do." Link nodded at the sword spirit before she vanished into the hilt of the Master Sword.

Zelda brushed some loose hair behind her right ear with her fingers as she looked over at her former kitchen boy wondering what she should say to him.

Link took a step forward, and then another step, and another, until he found himself standing in front of the monarch of Hyrule, looking down at her.

She didn't look up at him, as she realized how close he stood to her.

The young queen then felt strong arms wrap around her and pull her close in an embrace. It was followed up by a wholehearted laugh. It was his laugh, something she loved to hear.

"Did you ever think we'd be standing here?" Link chuckled, his boldness was always welcome. "Thanks for saving my ass, again."

Zelda giggled as she returned the hug. "What were you thinking? What was your plan?"

"He kept saying he eats the tiny hearts of weak men, but then I thought, after seeing you and talking to you... that... my heart wasn't as weak or as tiny, because... well..." Link bit his lip.

"I have you." Zelda finished.

Link widened his eyes as he let go of Zelda and looked her in the eyes. She was close, and the signs were there. It was uncertain on both sides of the equation though.

Zelda couldn't help but think of the honourable majesty's words to her._ "When you find something or someone that makes you happy, fight for them no matter what, as finding happiness is very difficult for people like us." _

_I'll fight for my happiness. And I have to realize a simple fact for that to happen. There's a reason why I couldn't forget him... I'm in love him, I always have been. _Zelda exhaled heavily before wiping the remaining blood off of brow from her wound.

Link laughed.

"What's so funny?" Zelda blushed.

"Your breath is really bad." Link chuckled, referencing what she had said to him so long ago. "But that's okay, because mine's no better."

"Huh?" Zelda raised a brow but soon felt her body melt.

Link went for it. His lips hit hers for only a moment. It was not a long kiss, but it was enough to speak volumes. It stated everything he had been unable to say for all those years and what he finally realized in those dark moments, he loved her just as much as she did him.

And for that moment it was as if nothing else mattered, because without saying it, the two youths had shown it through a simple action. And it was through this simple action that they both knew that everything would work out for them in the very end.

As I told you before, my friend; young love is often blind and stupid. Not because it is often foolish lust, but because those who truly do love each other blind themselves with their own stupidity. But it is only when those blinders are removed and experience has cured stupidity with wisdom that young love can develop into true love.

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**Review it. Epilogue coming soon.**


	45. Epilogue

_(A/N: I'll try to be brief. This is it, this is absolutely it. This is the epilogue; it's meant to be a short thing to tie it all together. No spin-offs, no sequels, no prequels, nothing else. I would like to thank __**you**__ from the bottom of my heart for reading this damn thing. What started as a little, pointless project for me to practice some different techniques for English class, turned into something that gained quite the following, much to my surprise. Though there are things I would love to change about this story, I'm simply satisfied with the knowledge that there were people that enjoyed it. I always knew how this story would end, and I'm thrilled to finally share it with you. After this I wish to take a break to let ideas flow. And when I return I will work on... "Gods Among Men", which was the winning idea for that poll I had set up. It has been renamed "The Hero and the Heavenly Handmaiden", so stay tuned for that. There is also a manga adaptation in the works for "Outlawed Love" by the fabulous, ShannyofHyrule. See more info on my profile. So thank you so much. It's been a pleasure. THANK YOU! Much love! –Infamous 7/29/13)_

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_**Epilogue**_

"Majesty." The footmen bowed their heads respectfully as their white-gloved hands grabbed onto the golden door handles to the great hall.

"Gentlemen." Zelda curtsied in her purple gown and then stood tall as the two men cranked the handles downward and swung open the doors for the monarch, giving her a double door entry. They then stood tall at attention with their hands behind their back as the young queen flowed by them.

The footmen couldn't help but watch the attractive young lady walk by in adoration, perhaps wishing she would turn around and ask one of them for a dance. But that would never happen, as there was a rumour that she had found herself a date.

All eyes looked up and room fell silent. The musicians stopped playing their selections, and at the moment everyone knew something important had happened. Even the most drunken of diplomats stopped making love to their gin bottles long enough to catch a glimpse at the beautiful hostess of the whole gala.

Emperors, empresses, princes, princesses, ambassadors, chancellors, dukes, duchesses, generals, barons, diplomats and other people of wealth all respectfully bowed their heads, and Zelda nodded back before walking herself down the staircase that was cloaked with a long, regal red carpet.

Zelda looked at the golden embroidery on the edges of the carpet as she hurried down to reach the ground floor. _Please be here... you said you'd be here._

"Majesty." An older man's voice that was laced with a thick foreign accent, sounded from beside the young queen, catching her by surprise.

Zelda glanced over and then curtsied at a middle aged man wearing a long, blue, formal military coat that was decorated with many different medals, sashes and scarves. "Ah, your lordship, Emperor Claude, so glad you could make it."

The older man bowed graciously before brushing out his well groomed beard with his white gloved hands. "I 'ould not miss it."

The Emperor of Vidla, the man that was supposed to be an enemy greeted, the young queen with a kiss on the back of her hand before waving his hand to the people standing next to him. "Majesty, zis is my wife and empresses, Louisa, my son, Archduke Gérard, and his new bride, Archduchess Andréa, and my daughter, Princess Phillipa."

Zelda shook the hands of the royal family of her rival nation and respectfully curtsied to each one. They were a good looking group of people. Louisa and her children were all skinny brunettes with skeletal cheekbones, and they were all about the same height. But it was the archduke's wife, Andréa that was the odd one of the group. She was a voluptuous woman with bombshell blonde hair and full lips. Zelda assumed she was probably a former model of sorts, there was no way she was an aristocrat, as no one in the aristocracy was allowed to look like that. It only proved that royalty could have whomever they pleased as their lifetime partner. Seeing another royal with someone who was not of noble blood, was reassuring to Zelda and her situation with her former kitchen boy.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you all." Zelda cleared her throat as Gérard kissed the back of her hand.

"I mus' say, majesty, I was surprised at your invitation." The emperor explained. "But I was also most excited to make your acquaintance. Our families 'ave not had zee pleasure of meeting in person for over a century."

Zelda smiled before giving the emperor a friendly pat on the shoulder. "I simply wished to extend the olive branch and to also thank you for once again supplying the wine for another Hylian gathering."

"Oh, it was an honour." The emperor nodded. "We are thrilled to be 'ere in your beautiful country, and I cannot wait to begin peace talks with you."

"Neither can I." Zelda smiled before curtsying again. "I hope you will make yourselves comfortable in the northern wing of the castle while you are visiting. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening."

"We will!" the emperor nodded with a smile crossing his aging face as Zelda began to back away and walk amongst the crowd.

After conversing and mingling with the chancellors of Hyrule's colonies, and ambassadors from the other neighbouring lands, Zelda began to search the crowds for the one that she had originally been looking for.

_He promised he would come... _the young queen furrowed her brow before walking herself to the head table where she had sat on the night of her coronation dinner. She took her seat in the centre of it all, at the biggest, most flamboyant chair.

A member of the kitchen staff that had been chosen specially to wait on the queen, hand and foot hurried to her side with a bottle of fine wine and a towel hanging over his arm. "A bottle of Vidish Vintage, compliments of the honourable Empress Louisa of Vidla. Would you care for any, majesty?"

Zelda glanced up to see a servant dressed in what were probably his finest clothes. She had been served by this man before. He was a veteran when it came to serving royalty, which was probably why he was so calm. "Um, yes, please. Leave the bottle as well, I may need it."

The servant raised his eyebrows for a moment as the queen was not known to be one to drink so heavily or at all for that matter. But nonetheless, he opened the bottle and filled her crystal wine glass before setting the bottle down in front of her. "Is there anything else, her majesty desires?"

"Yes, find my date..." Zelda murmured as her eyes scanned the crowd. She then took a sip of wine and sighed a bit.

"Majesty has a date?" the servant retorted. "Perhaps in love?"

"Watch your tongue, as you speak." A familiar voice sounded from in front of Zelda's table.

Zelda raised her head and looked at the young man who uttered those words.

His head was down in respect. His blonde hair was tidily combed with care. He wore a formal uniform with a white, long sleeved tunic that had bronze buttons down the centre and on the breast pockets and gold embroidery in the cuffs. There was a dark green belt that wrapped over his midsection and came together at a bronze buckle in the middle. A green military style lanyard was attached to his left shoulder and seemed to lead into his left breast pocket as well. Two medals hung on the left side of his chest, along with a Triforce patch sewn into his right arm. His pants were a perfect shade of black and they covered the black boots on his feet that seemed to shimmer in the light. It was the uniform of those who represented the monarch.

Zelda bit her lip and then smiled like a school girl. "Nice clothes, Link."

The young man looked up and met her eye with an embarrassed smile. "I wasn't allowed to wear my field clothes. My _superior_ wouldn't let me, and _she_ went to the trouble of having these set out for me."

Zelda stood up and walked around the table. She then stood in front of the young hero and sized him up for a moment. Even she had to admit, he cleaned up quite nicely. "Well, the queen's favourite ambassador and Hyrule's saviour must always be dressed for success no matter where he is."

Link chuckled a bit before placing his green cap back onto his head. "Well, I appreciate you somehow elevating me to the status of ambassador. I get to see plenty of things, and represent the crown."

Zelda smiled. He had accepted her offer for the job, after she persuaded him. He made it clear that he didn't want to be knighted, and she didn't want to send him back to the servant slums, but she didn't want him to leave her side for too long. She looked at his strengths and then at her staff list and decided it was high time for a change and time to get younger faces under her jurisdiction, as eccentric old men were more likely to challenge her word.

When Zelda explained the entire situation to her council; how Mihari was Gengo's murderer and had framed Link in an attempt to keep him away from the young queen, how Mihari and the Ghirahim in Zelda VI's diary were one the same, how Link was the reason Hyrule still stood tall, and how... how she enjoyed Link's company, the council raised their brows in surprise.

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"_As your undoubted queen, I demand reason as to why, this man, Link, should be given the death sentence!" Zelda barked at the old men in the stuffy conference room. "He has done much for my country and he must be thanked in a way other than death, don't you agree?"_

_The men chatted with each other and exchanged glances until Jervis spoke up. "Majesty, you may do what you wish. We realize that we were wrong to doubt you in the first place, and when we heard of not only your efforts, but the efforts of this servant to save this great country, we were truly touched."_

_Zelda nodded. "So, I wish to have his status elevated to Ambassador of the Crown. He will make a great asset to my list of staffers. When choosing an ambassador one must look at an individual's ability to protect citizens from any kind of threat, promote peace and prosperity not only within their own kingdom, but in neighbouring nations as well."_

_The councilmen stared at the monarch, and she stared back._

"_As you wish, your majesty. The council will not argue with your decision. He has proven himself in our eyes, not only in his service with the kitchen staff but also in his service to this country." Jervis nodded, keying into the thoughts of his fellow council members._

"_I do believe it is due time to send someone to Holodrum, no?" another councilman stroked his beard and nodded._

"_Labrynna has also requested a visit of some sort. Lynna City wishes to trade Gasha Seeds with Hyrule's Magic Beans. They wish to see a demonstration as well." Added another councilman._

"_Magic Beans? The hell do they need those for? Zelda the Fourth deemed them too troublesome after all those reports of peeping tom cases. That was when perverted men were planting those seeds willy-nilly and would later use the grown plant to elevate themselves up to balconies so they could look in at women. Zelda the Fourth had them banned and had the rest of the seeds locked away or destroyed." The other councilman informed. "Gasha Seeds are useless anyway. The crown does not need them."_

_Jervis rolled his eyes. "And this is why, her majesty will send an ambassador to not only inform the people in Labrynna of these problems, but to also provide proof that the beans will work. I'm sure this young fellow would be up to the challenge."_

"_Well, if he beat Mihari like majesty has implied... I don't see why he wouldn't be able to carry out the duties of an ambassador." Another councilman shrugged._

_Zelda simply smiled at Jervis' approval, as well as the silent approval of the other men on her council. "Thank you, gentlemen, your support means the world to me."_

"_Now... how will we inform the public of all of this?" Jervis sighed, trying to come up with a plan. "They think that boy is dead... and then suddenly he is representing the queen. I think your people will be confused and upset."_

_Zelda rubbed her temple. "I don't want them to worry about their safety, so I do not want to tell them about Ghirahim and everything else that has happened. I suppose we could say we were not able to execute him, and we instead held him in prison until we realized that he had been framed?"_

_Jervis furrowed his brow. "It's a start. And if you say you love this man as much as you lead us to believe, I do not see a problem with any sort of future union."_

_Zelda's face went red, knowing exactly what a 'future union' meant in the council's terms, especially since they were so eager to rush their queen to the altar. "Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves here!"_

* * *

The council had concocted a tale about how the king's magician was the culprit and from the bowels of his prison cell, Link had been able to prove that he was no guilty and he was able to bring the true murderer to justice. They didn't want to tell the people that he had not been executed because they believed he was indeed onto something. Yes, it was a terrible lie, but it was one of the special talents that the queen's council possessed. The population of Hyrule actually believed it and supported the idea of Link becoming a representative of the queen. And it was through this lie, that the council justified Link's promotion to the people of Hyrule.

Link was of course reluctant to accept such a role, but after he realized his feelings for the young queen, he knew that he would do anything for Zelda, and she would do anything for him. He wholeheartedly accepted the role as an ambassador, since it meant he wouldn't have to go to war (even though he would probably want to), and it meant he would not have to sit in the stuffy castle all day or worry about where his next meal was coming from.

What could the young man say? He was in love with the monarch of Hyrule, and he would go to just about length to please his lady love.

* * *

"You leave for Labrynna in two days, no?" Zelda inquired as she fixed a wrinkle in Link's tunic. "You will be missed."

"Yes. My boss is real hard ass about these things, so I kind of have to do what she says. As soon as I get home from Labrynna, I have to pack my bags again and go to Holodrum. She has this weird obsession with sending me to the most outrageous locations." Link teased. "But I'll be back before you know it. I'll get you a postcard if you like."

Zelda shook her head with a grin. "No need. If you come home in one piece, I'll be happy."

"You make it sound like I'll get chopped into tiny pieces and have to be mailed home in an envelope." Link joked as he pushed a loose strand of hair behind the young queen's ear.

Zelda exhaled. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I'm always careful. If I wasn't careful, I would never have found my way back here." Link smiled before extending a gentlemanly arm as the musicians changed their song selection. "Care to dance?"

Zelda blushed as she pecked her former kitchen boy on the lips. "I'd love to."

And so they danced in front of all the high status individuals in attendance. At first there was silence, soon there was a form of approval as some nobles began to clap, as if giving the hero and the queen a pat on the back.

* * *

All in all, Zelda was eventually able to reach peace with her colonies and neighbouring countries, and was hailed a hero for her peacekeeping work. Not only this, but she revived the unofficial noble status of the Hero of Twilight's family and was able to rebuild Hyrule in a very short amount of type. Of course she had her own loving hero by her side every step of the way to reassure her and assist her when need be.

Link would continue to be by Zelda's side wherever she needed him. Though his travels took him away from his lady love for varying amounts of time, he would always return with his most humble servant smile and more admiration for the young woman he had fallen for so long ago.

Did they live happily ever after? Well, I suppose eventually they did. They had their happy days, their sad days, their good days and bad days. There were great victories and grand losses, but that is just how life is for most people.

Did they marry? Well, I suppose that comes with the 'happily ever after', doesn't it? After many battles with the more conservative advisors, courtiers and councilmen, the monarch earned to right to marry whomever he or she wishes. This was mostly done out of fear of another Zelda VI fiasco. And several years later when the sound of little feet echoed the once quite halls of the castle, the whole idea of not being able to be with the one you love the most was a forgotten thing of the past.

Despite the odds that had been stacked against them and the things that may have made them unhappy in their lives, they had each other as a constant reminder of what real happiness was. And that, my friends, was definitely something that was well worth fighting for.

* * *

**THE END**


End file.
